Nynaeve's Decision
by neela
Summary: What would happen if Nynaeve discovered she was pregnant the day before the Last Battle? Will she stay behind, or fight? And what are the consequences? Warning: Character deaths. AU with KoD out. Subtle spoilers for all books.
1. Chapter 1: The Morning Nausea

_**Disclaimers:** I do not owe the Wheel of Time series –I wish I did though ;o)– or the characters involved._

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**Chapter 1 – The Morning Nausea**

Nynaeve woke up with a start and a terrible nausea. It had been like that for the past days, and she only hoped she would not get sick before the battle. She suddenly felt her stomach twist and she threw herself out of bed, grabbed her cloak and held it around her, and ran outside just in time for her to vomit near a dry branch. She felt terrible today, just as any other mornings. _Light! I hope I'm not getting ill!_

The morning had not yet come, but the sky was fading from dark blue to light yellow, and there were none except Nynaeve outside. She cursed as she threw up again. When it felt like she had emptied herself totally, she dried her mouth with her cloak, and walked back to the tent. 

Inside, Lan still was fast asleep. He had been so tired the past few days, that he had not noticed Nynaeve's early morning ritual. And Nynaeve had no intention of telling him. The last she needed was Lan to worry himself to death over her, and stop thinking about the future battle. She dropped the cloak to the ground and laid down in bed. For more than an hour, Nynaeve just lay there and studied her husband, admiring his looks and in the end she kissed him lightly on the cheek. 

"Good morning," she said as her husband beside her opened his eyes. Lan smiled and they leaned towards each other in a kiss. The tent was dimly lit up from the rising sun outside, and she could barely see the outline of the man, but that was enough for her to cradle into his strong arms 

Ever since the armies of the Dragon Reborn and the Freelanders had begun the march towards Shayol Ghul, Nynaeve had found herself becoming more afraid for every step her horse took. She knew too well that in a few days time there would be a battle like she had never seen before, and the knowledge that it was quite possible that she or Lan –or both– would die, tore in her heart like knifes. _I cannot live on without Lan. And he said he would die if I died. _

Rand had asked her to join him at the front, and despite Lan's long protests, Nynaeve had agreed out of childhood memories of Rand and Wisdom duties. Both men needed her, but Lan knew she would have to do her duty, like he had to do his, and he respected her decision, even though it ripped his heart. 

For a long time, Nynaeve just laid in Lan's arms, his gentle and safe embrace soothing her. But in the end, she stood up, walked over to the wash stand and begun to wash herself. Lan moved in the bed to watch her, his eyes following every move she took. She no longer felt that it was embarrassing to stand naked in front of her husband, and found the whole scene actually amusing. 

"What are you smiling so about?" Lan smiled curiously at her while standing up from the bed and walking over to her. Nynaeve returned his smile and put down the cloth she had used to wash herself. He put his arms around her small waist, and whispered in her ear, "well?" 

"I was thinking of how much I love you." She kissed his cheek. "And how happy I am when I'm with you. But most of all that it's not embarrassing to be naked in front of you any more." It made him laugh, and Nynaeve turned in his arms and put her arms around his neck. She loved it when he laughed, because it was so rare. When they first met, he had been so stern and cold, never smiling, but now he could be soft, gentle and warm with her, smiling and laughing. 

Lan still chuckled as she got dressed, and it was his turn to wash. When Nynaeve finished, she walked around the tent, collected some clothes lying around and put them into the saddlebags. Lan was already dressed when she finished; he fastened his sword belt with the sheathed longsword, and looked up at her. 

"I agreed with the Lord Dragon Reborn to eat in his tent today; he wanted to discuss strategy with me and the other generals." Lan had been asked to lead Rand's life guard, and since he knew it would be the closest place he could get to his wife, he had agreed. Nynaeve just nodded; she knew it hurt Lan that she would stand besides Rand and protect him together with other Aes Sedai and Asha'man while he fought the Dark One. Walking over to him, she tiptoed and kissed him passionate on the lips. 

"Don't worry about me, Lan. I have been in worse situations than protecting someone." She smiled at him, but his eyes was sad, so she kissed him again as to drive away his sadness. It did not work, though, but he gave her a half-heartedly smile. Her stomach wanted to twist again. _Light! What is wrong with me!_


	2. Chapter 2: Min's viewing

_**Disclaimers:** Same as before, I don't owe the WoT series, so this is 100% fan fiction._

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**Chapter 2 – Min's Viewing**

Min watched as general after general came through the entrance, each and everyone of them dressed for battle, except the last man, Lan, who came with Nynaeve He was to lead Rand's life guard, and Min was actually glad he had agreed to that, because she saw him best fit to protect her beloved when he fought. She herself had managed last night to convince Rand of taking her with him to the front, but it had claimed much smiles, gentle touches and kisses. 

Nynaeve gave Lan a last touch on his hand before setting off towards Min, and it was at that moment, when their hands brushed each others, that Min had a viewing. _Nynaeve was with child, Lan's child. Twins._ The viewing disappeared, leaving her to her own thoughts as Nynaeve approached. 

"What is it with you?" she asked as she sat down. "Are you ill?" Min could not do anything but shake her head. Never before had a viewing left her gaping, but somehow it felt like this one was very important, and it was filled with so much happiness that Min actually sighed. Her eyes found Nynaeve, who was watching the men around the table where maps lay around in heaps. Should she tell her now, or wait?

**** 

It had taken five minutes to walk from their tent to Rand's, and when they had gone inside, Lan joined the generals, including Mat, Rand and Perrin, around the table, while Nynaeve sat down in a chair besides Min. The girl was gaping at her, her eyes big and staring at her. 

"What is it with you? Are you ill?" Min shook her head, so Nynaeve turned her head to watch Lan's large figure standing by Lord Bashere, his face concentrated as they all listened to Mat's endless talk about diversions and advances, as well as defences. 

There were bread, dried meat and spiced wine on the table between them, and she took the liberty of eating some of that. Her stomach no longer wanted to turn inside out, luckily. 

Neither she nor Min talked for what seemed like ages. Nynaeve was beginning to get slightly irritated with the girl. _What was wrong with her? _She sighed and turned towards Min, determined to say something, but the girl talked before she could open her mouth. 

"Nynaeve, you're with child." Min looked at her like if she did not know if she had spoken at the right time. Nynaeve was shocked. _I'm with child? _She could not tell if Min was joking or not, so she opened her mouth to ask how she knew, but Min was one step ahead of her. "I had a viewing when you and Lan parted. I think it is really important, because I have never had one like that before. It was all shining like gold, and I could swear that I saw seven dark silhouettes rising up from the ground, almost like towers. I swear, you're with child." 

Nynaeve stared at her with so much shock in her eyes, that Min almost believed she had done the wrong thing. Should she have waited? _No,_ said a voice in the back of her head. _It could have something to do with the lost kingdom of Malkier. _

"And it's twins, Nynaeve." The other woman opened her mouth as to say anything, but no words came out, and she continued staring blankly at Min. 

None of the men in the tent seemed to have noticed them talking, but Min looked at Nynaeve with a comforting smile, and asked if they should go outside and perhaps take a walk. 

Nynaeve nodded but still did not say anything as they got up and moved outside. Min studied the look the former Wisdom sent her husband, now occupied with talking himself, and came to the decision that Nynaeve was confused over her feelings, and shocked over that she was confused. They began to walk side by side among the nearby tents. Min kept quiet as the other woman was lost in her own thoughts, and caught herself thinking that Nynaeve did not like the idea of carrying children, especially not now, when Tarmon Gai'don was a few days away. _I thought she would be happy. _

After what seemed like half an hour, Nynaeve stopped in the middle of the trampled-down road, her eyes closed and her hands caressing her stomach, not noticing a horse that came in full gallop towards her. 

"Nynaeve!" Min cried, and grabbed the woman by the sleeves of her dress, and dragged her away right before the rider passed, a messenger with important news by the look of him. "Watch where you're riding, wool-head!" The rider took no notice of her words, and kept his quick speed towards the middle of the camp. 

Min turned around to check how Nynaeve was doing, and was surprised to see the woman covering her face with her hands and shaking with crying. Min looked with a lump in her throat at the woman she had known to be so strong and fiery, now crying her soul out because she was with child. She sat down and embraced the woman, rocking her back and forth, trying to calm her down. 

"Come on now, Nynaeve. It can't be that bad? Just ask Elayne, she had two babes. She told me how wonderful it was when she held their little bodies in her arms. And Rand…He was happy, Nynaeve. I had never seen him so happy before. He actually softened when the babes cried and wanted to hold them in his arms too." 

Min remembered the time when he actually got his son into sleep, and had said "_I never thought a child could do so much with a man's heart."_ It had done much with her heart too, just being there when Elayne gave birth had been a painful, yet precious memory to her later. 

"You don't understand," Nynaeve cried low in Min's lap. "I am happy, for your viewing could mean that Malkier is going to be renewed, but…" She sniffed hard and looked up at Min. Her eyes were red from crying and tears still fell down her cheeks. "But why now? The Last Battle is almost here, and I'm going to stand where it will be spilt most blood, and Lan also, and…What if I die, Min? Then it will never be a Malkier again, for Lan will die with me. I cannot stand the thought of him loosing his kingdom totally, and his blood-line be broken. I cannot!" Nynaeve started crying again, and Min did nothing else but to embrace her. 

Nynaeve was right. If she died, Lan would die with her, because he loved her so much and would not stand to live a life without her. And when he died, the royal blood-line would be broken, and Malkier would never raise again. Min thought about this all the time as they sat there on the ground, not bothering that their dresses got dirty. 

The morning passed to noon, and the sun shone sharply and it became very hot, so when Min suggested that they could go to Elayne's tent, Nynaeve agreed, and wiped away her tears. Her eyes, however, swelled with tears all the long way to the Queen of Andor's tent.

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_**A/N: **So, what do you think? Please, review, the box is just below here. :) When I've got at least 3 more reviews, I'll post next chapter!_


	3. Chapter 3: Lan Receives the News

_**Disclaimers:** I've said it once, I say it again: I don't owe the Wheel of Time, just borrowed the characters for my own imagination of things._

_**Author's Note:** Gee! I asked for 3 reviews, and I got 4! I just love you guys! :) And don't you worry, I'll keep this story going until the very end!_

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**Chapter ****3**** – Lan Receives the News **

Rand watched as every general left the tent, except Lan. The former Warder stood by the table, looking down at the maps and sometimes murmuring to himself. As Mat disappeared out the entrance, Lan turned to Rand, who sat down in his chair and poured himself a cup of cool spiced wine. He gestured Lan to sit down in the other chair and have a cup spiced wine himself, but the man kept standing. 

"What is it you wish to talk to me about?" Rand looked curiously up at the Commander for the Dragon Reborn's life guard, but he had already guessed what was coming. 

"Why Nynaeve?" Lan looked expressionless at him, but Rand knew that deeper feelings wanted to burst out, and decided to move carefully so he did not get a mouthful. He moved in his chair and sat down the cup. 

"You know why, Lan," Rand answered. "We have discussed this several times, and she herself agreed to be there." The man had come to discuss his wife presence beside Rand at Tarmon Gai'don almost every day now after the generals' meeting, it was beginning to get irritating. Lan wore a grim expression. "Look, Lan. If you don't want her there, it is better you talk to her about it. I am not going to change my mind." 

"Even if Nynaeve turns out to be with child?" Min stood in the entrance, her hands placed at her hips and her eyes blazing. Lan looked at her in a half shocked, half confused expression. 

"Nynaeve is with child?" His question was low, and Rand was surprised of the softness in Lan's voice. Min stared long at the other man, then nodded, but her face wore an expression that said she regretted to have said anything at all. Lan started pacing around for a few moments, his eyes fixed on the floor, his face grim. Then he stopped and looked back at Min. "Well, where is she?" he asked impatiently. Min –very surprisingly– hesitated, dwelling a moment if she was to let out that information yet, but in the end she thought better of telling him, and looked up at the tall man. 

"She's in Elayne's tent with the other women." Min sighed, and Rand became even more surprised at Lan's reaction; he narrowed his eyes and looked the direction of Elayne's tent. "She did not actually want me to tell you, but –" Both men glared at her, their eyes wide, but Min continued as if she had never seen their stares. "But you're her husband and the children's father, and… and it would not be right for you to be left out." 

"Children? Is she having more than one?" Again, Lan's face was half shocked, half curious, but now Rand also heard worry in his voice. _No wonder,_ he thought grimly. _Tarmon Gai'don is here any minute, and she's going to fight at my side. Light! Why did she have to go through all that now?_ He stopped thinking, and turned his attention back to Min. The bond told him she was sad and regretting despite her earlier words. 

"Twins." Min's voice was low. 'Twins… Is it me being ta'veren or is everyone I know getting twins. First the Aiel Chief Bael's wife, then Elayne, and next it's Nynaeve.' 

Immediately, Lan was on his way out, taking long strides, but then he suddenly stopped after passing her, and looked over his shoulder. "Thank you for telling me this. Although I would rather have heard it from my wife, I do not regret to have heard it from you. This news have made me both happy and scared." He made a motion to go, but Min took hold of his arm and looked sad at him. Like she had talked to him through the bond, Rand stood up from the chair, and moved over to the former Warder. 

"I am sorry you have to go through this now, Lan." He hesitated, earning a glare from Min, who understood exactly what Rand was trying to say, and he continued. "I withdraw my wish to have Nynaeve at my side when I fight, and instead urge her to instead stay behind with her Ajah, helping the wounded. However, since we both know Nynaeve is a stubborn woman, I think it would be best if I leave the decision for you two to make. Come to the dinner tonight, and if you have made a decision, I would like to know. Tai'shar Malkier." He finished, clutching his fist in honour to the other man, the last remainer of the royal Malkieri blood line. 

Lan stared at him for a long moment, his face expressionless. Then he nodded, his lips twitching sligthly. "Tai'shar Manetheren." His voice was not so cold any longer, and his eyes had regained a little of that warmth he often showed these days. Marrying Nynaeve had certainly changed the former Warder. Rand smiled slightly too. Min just stared at the two men, the bond saying she was satisfied, sad and happy. Then the other man left through the tent flap, and Rand collected Min in a tight embrace, her head resting at his chest. 

"I can't help but feel both sad and happy for them, Rand." 

"I know, Min. I know." Their embrace tightened more, as they stood there for long moments of silence, until the broke away, turning their thoughts to other things. 

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_**A/N:** Ok, so what do you think? Still a bit short? Well, I would love to have reviews from you guys! Whether or not they're bad or good! Please? _

*****Response to reviews*****

**Eonwe** – You know, I did not even think about Aviendha being pregnant when I started this story, but I admit that your question certainly brought me a few thoughts, and even a few ideas. ;) 

**Hermmes **– I'll try to keep my chapters longer. 

**Ufoapresident/Lara Roberts** – I couldn't have agreed more: there really should be more Nynaeve/Lan stories. 

**Min Wolph** – Well, I'm glad you liked it. :)


	4. Chapter 4: Dreams and Interpretations

_**Disclaimers:** Do I really need to repeat myself? Well, I don't owe the WoT series, nor do I make money out of it, so there. _

_**A/N:** Wow! Never before has anyone reviewed my story so fast! Thank you, guys! I just love you! _

_And since you have been so very kind with me, and really enjoy my writing, I will now give you, the newest and longest from the author, the long-expecting… _

_*dam, dam, dam, daaaaaa!* _

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**Chapter 4 – Dreams and Interpretations**

"This is called Caressing the Child," Elayne explained, while weaving something that reminded Nynaeve too much of Delving. "It is to check on the child or children's health and sex. A Wise One did it on me when I was expecting Rand's children." She still felt sad, but then again, she could not help to think this was very exciting. She was actually having Lan's babes! There was nothing else she wanted more than see Lan's kingdom raise again, and now the chances was even higher for that!

** *******Flashback*********

_"What is it, Egwene?" Nynaeve looked at the dark-haired woman with a seven-striped stole around her shoulders. She had responded differently to the news of Nynaeve's children than the others. The others had at first been happy, then sad, and then comforting, but Egwene had all the time sat still and lost in thoughts. _

_"Your news has brought some answers to a dream I had last night," Egwene replied quietly and rose up; everyone's eyes were on her now. Nynaeve sent her a confused look. "I dreamt about you, Nynaeve. Lan too, although I never saw him, I knew he was a part of it."_

_Nynaeve just stared at the woman. What was she talking about? Was there something wrong? Or had she had a prophetic dream? "Well, spit it out, Egwene…Oh, sorry…Mother," she added when she saw other woman's automatically raised eyebrows. Her apology also drew attention from the others in the tent, but Nynaeve did not care. After marrying Lan, she had gone softer, that she knew very well._

_"You are my friend, Nynaeve, you don't need to call me Mother when we're not in public." Egwene's voice revealed her amusement. Nynaeve just glared at her, and the woman smiled back. "Well, my dream. There were actually two, but I know they are related. In one, you were out in the desert, and in the distant you could see the silhouette of something large, several silhouettes, in fact. You held something in your arms and as you came closer to the dark shadows, I saw it was two bundles, and they began to move more and more for every step you took. The dream ended there, with you walking closer to the silhouettes, and just before everything went black, I saw someone or something was following you, but I didn't knew what it was. Somehow I got the feeling of it wasn't something good, and that it wanted to stop you before you reached your destination, but you kept a good distance to it." She paused, looking around to see if anyone understood the meaning of it. None answered her unasked question, not even Nynaeve, who suddenly realised she understood a bit of the dream, as it reminded her of Min's viewing. _

***It was all shining like gold, and I could swear that I saw seven dark silhouettes rising up from the ground, almost like towers.***

_She knew what the golden light meant; she was with child, well, Min said children, so maybe that was the real meaning. And the dark silhouettes…it could not mean anything else than the Seven Towers of Malkier would raise again now that she was expecting. _

_Egwene's dream had not been so much different; the bundles was probably her children, and as they grew more and more alive, she came closer to the silhouettes. The silhouettes –if you compared it to Min's viewing– could be the Seven Towers, but Nynaeve did not know. It could also be something else, but what? And the thing that wanted to stop her…Could it be the Last Battle? She felt worry fill the pit of her stomach as her thoughts brought her elsewhere, and she unconsciously stroked her belly, not aware of the smiles it attracted from the other women. _

_"Nynaeve?" She jerked her head to the owner of the voice; it was Elayne. _

_"Oh, I'm sorry, I was just thinking." The words blurted out of her before she could stop herself, and she blushed slightly. She had really gone softer now that she was married. 'Light! What is it that wool-headed man of a bloody fallen kingdom has done to me?' She glared at the wall before turning to Egwene, her eyes still blazing and her voice snapping._

_"Well? What was the other dream?" The others smiled amused at each other and Birgitte even winked at Aviendha; this was the Nynaeve as they had always known her._

_Egwene sent her a bright smile that made her glare even more piercing, before opening her mouth to speak again. "The other dream, yes…Well, it was very much like the other –you walking with the bundles towards the silhouettes, with the follower close behind– but this time your stalker caught up with you, and you were swallowed by shadows, disappearing from the dream. Then the silhouettes suddenly burst into a thousand pieces, and at that time I knew they would never raise again." She stopped, studying her open mouth –she understood everything perfectly now– and the other women who sent confused stares at each other. Then reality dawned to them all, and they looked sadly at her, Elayne even coming to embrace her._

_Nynaeve did not push her away as she felt the Andoran woman's arm comforting her. She didn't realise that she had sat down on the floor, tears silently falling down her cheeks._

_'If I die in the Last Battle, Malkier will never raise again; Lan will not survive my death for long, and he will never marry someone else. Then the royal blood line will be broken, and the kingdom of Malkier will forever be a myth, for none else will have the right to build up again the Seven Towers.' Her tears fell down in long streams, but not a sob escaped her lounges. Suddenly all this responsibility lay on her shoulders, and she didn't know if she had the strength to carry that burden._

** *******End Flashback*********

Nynaeve shook her head slightly to forget about Egwene's dream for the moment. After she had finished crying, they had talked for what seemed ages, and in the end they had all agreed that she should not dwell her thoughts on the future, and in stead on the present. First then did she allow herself to be happy. _And besides,_ she thought with a smile. _Egwene said that it was two possible outcomes, and for all you know, el'Nynaeve Mandrogoran,_ she blushed inside at the name; she had still not got used to it, but loved it with all of her heart. _It is quite a high chance that you survive._

*But what if we loose the Last Battle?* that little voice at the back of her head said. 

_Nonsense. Rand will win, of course. I've never seen him so good before, he's in fact excellent in both channeling and the sword-dance now that the taint is gone._

*Not as good as Lan with the sword, though.* 

She smiled. _Well, there's something we can agree about._ The she was suddenly drawn away from her thoughts, as Elayne looked expectantly at her. 

"What? Oh, I'm sorry, what did you say?" The women burst into a laughter. 

"That's the third time only today that you have apologised, el'Nynaeve Mandrogoran!" Birgitte cried between her giggles, and Nynaeve could not help but smile and blush at the same time. She really should have kept her own name, then at least she wouldn't blush every time she was reminded at her marriage she to Lan. The other women laughed again when she began glaring at them, but in the end the giggles drifted off, and they wiped tears away from their eyes. Elayne turned to Nynaeve, her grin still in place. 

"Sorry that we're laughing at you, but it's still unusual to hear you apologising." A few more giggles, but Elayne straightened and smoothed her skirts, her eyes becoming serious. "Enough laughing." She moved around the table to stand before her. The other women silenced and began to listen as carefully as the earlier Wisdom of Emond's Field was. "I was going to tell you what I discovered." Suddenly her whole body tensed, and fear of something was wrong with her children crept into her bones. _Please let everything be alright!_ she pleaded inside her head, her hands clutching her skirts nervously. Elayne saw that movement, and placed her own hands onto of Nynaeve's, comforting her friend. 

"They're both fine, Nynaeve," the Queen of Andor grinned, and Nynaeve felt her fear disappear and leave only relief. She sighed loudly and her whole body relaxed, her eyes closing, only to open again as Elayne continued to speak. "It's not possible to see the sex yet, but I can say that they're seven weeks old and healthy." 

"Seven…seven weeks?" she asked in surprise. Elayne nodded excitedly, still grinning, and held out her arms to her. _Seven weeks and I didn't realise? Light! Getting sick, yeah, good one, Nynaeve._ She mentally slapped her head, then grinned at the others in the tent –who grinned back– and threw herself into Elayne's waiting arms. 

The next few moments were filled with tears of happiness, congratulations, and little jokes, as everyone was happy on behalf of Nynaeve and Lan. 

_And now I have to tell my loving husband. Even though he hasn't said it out loud, I know he want children, and now he gets two at once! Light, I'm going to be exhausted!_ Nynaeve remembered when Elayne had given birth. It had been painful, tiring and absolutely wonderful. The memory swam before her eyes, and her ears caught the sound of new-born babies letting out their first cry. It was almost like she was back there in the room where the birth took place, going through those moments all over again. She smiled when she remembered Rand holding his children, sitting by Elayne's side and watching her sleep, slowly lulling his son and daughter to a peaceful sleep as well. Now she and Lan would experience the same moments, and she began imagine his large arms holding his son, or daughter, smiling at her and telling her how much he loved her. 

Then suddenly she was thrown out of her thoughts, as she discovered it was unusual silent in the tent. Her eyes studied the expressionless faces of her friends, everyone staring towards the tent flap behind her, at someone, she realised. 

Confused and curious, Nynaeve turned around, expecting to see an Aes Sedai or a Wise One, or maybe an Asha'man –none else would turn their happy faces to blank stares– and jumped a step back in surprise. A pair of cold, ice blue eyes were staring straight at her, and she felt suddenly growing smaller from that expressionless, yet piercing stare. 

al'Lan Mandrogoran was a handsome as ever, but the way he stood –towering, still, and silent, with that cold, expressionless stare– made Nynaeve believe it was no longer her husband, but that stranger that had waltzed into Emond's Field four years ago, together with a woman who could channel. It frightened her, and she didn't realise she had taken a step back before her thigh hit the sharp edge of the desk. 

_Light, he knows already…_

Suddenly she was terrified.

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_**A/N:** Yes! I made it! A long chapter, and even a cliffie! Woo hooo! Now what do you think? Review and make my day! I don't even care if they're flamers, as long as I get feedback! :)_ _And__I think I'll reveal now that I plan a sequel, but I'm not telling you who it's about….*grins mischievously* _

*****Response to reviews*****

**Eonwe** – Please let me know when you've written that story –I would love to read it! 

**Ilona1** – Don't you worry, I'll keep this story going for a long, long time. I'm so glad you enjoy my story, and I really hope you'll continue liking it! :) 

**ufoapresident/Lara Roberts** – *blushing when reading the review* Well, thank you! It really warms my heart to know that people appreciate my story, especially since English is not my first language. ^_^ 

**Zero Bahumut** – *blushing again* I say the same to you: Thank you very much! I hope you will continue to give such emotional reviews! *grins* 

**Burning Flame of the Phoenix/Silver Flame of the Phoenix** – Nynaeve and Lan is my favourite characters too, and I have to say I actually celebrated myself when they finally got married! So tell your friend that he or she is an absolute idiot who can't see how cute they are together. 

**Adelaine** – Don't you worry either, I'm not going to stop updating unless I'm seriously sick or dead, and maybe not even then! *grins* Hope you will continue reading. : ) 


	5. Chapter 5: Emotions

**_Disclaimers_**_**:** I don't owe the characters from the WoT world, I've just borrowed them to carry out my own little plot. :) _

**_A/N: _**_I'm finally broken my writer's block! Who hooo! Thanks to all of you who sent suggestions about my Lan-being-angry-problem. I've done my best in this chapter, and really hope you like it, and continue reading my story (and keep posting those encouraging reviews of yours!) *winking* _

_Please note that I have turned chapter 2 (Min's Viewing) and chapter 3 (Nynaeve's Reaction) into just one (Min's Viewing), thanks to a suggestion from one of my faithful reviewers. Therefore, the chapter numbers has been changed. :) _

_Anyway, enjoy yourself with the newest from the author! ^_^ ___

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**Chapter 5 – Emotions **

"Why didn't you tell me?" Lan's voice was just as expressionless as the rest of him. 

Nynaeve let out a breath she didn't know she had been holding, and her eyes found the floor. It was covered in carpets with many elegant patterns, and she found herself studying at one of them; she didn't dare to look at Lan, she would just begin to cry. Time seemed to stand still as a little discussion appeared in her head. 

*Light!* said that little voice at the back of her head. *Get a grip on yourself, Nynaeve! He's your husband! The love of your life! How can you not look at him and answer his question?* 

_I- I don't know,_ she answered nervously. 

*You know perfectly why,* the voice said firmly. *You just don't want to admit it, you think it will make you weak and vulnerable.* 

_No._

*Yes you do, admit it! It will not be the end of the world if you admit it!* 

Nynaeve could hear other voices talking in the tent, but they were so far away, it sounded just like a muffled whisper. Her eyes still looked down at the patterns, no, they **drowned** in them. All she saw was the shapes and curves in different colours melt together with the background, slowly blurring her eyesight while going around in circles like a hurricane. She felt dizzy and her hand automatically reached up for her head. The world seemed to go upside down, and as blackness surrounded her, she admitted her feelings. 

"I'm just so scared…" And she passed out, not realising she had just spoken out loud. 

**** 

When Nynaeve awoke, the day seemed to have reached afternoon, judging by the streams of light that flowed through the tent flap. She groaned lightly and stretched her limbs as she sat up slowly in bed. Then she froze. Why was she in bed? In her **own **bed, by the way. The last she remembered what that she had gone to the general's meeting with Lan and met Min, and then – 

Her eyes grew wide as realisation came to her. A flood of memories flashed through her mind in slow-motion: Min's viewing telling her she was expecting twins and those children would make the renewing of Malkier possible; Min embracing her as she cried out of sadness and happiness; Egwene telling about her dreams, indicating that if something happened to Nynaeve, Malkier would be lost forever; Elayne weaving flows of something she had called Caressing the Child, and found out both babes was healthy and at least seven weeks old; Lan appearing in the tent entrance, his face and eyes expressionless, staring at her; the hurricane of colours before everything went black; her own voice saying out loud she was scared. The memory of Lan replayed in her head, along with her own voice saying 'I'm just so scared', and she soon found herself crying. 

Light, she was scared of Lan! Lan, her own husband! Lan, the man who had taken her heart, who loved her back and couldn't live without her! How could she be scared of him? 

_And saying it out loud for all the world to hear!_ Nynaeve wanted to die out of embarrassment and guilt. She buried her face in her hands. _How **could** I be scared of him?! And why do I feel I still am?!_

The sobs she had managed to keep inside while in Elayne's tent, finally escaped. Salty tears rolled down her cheeks in streams, and she shut her eyes tightly to make them stop, but it was a wasted try. She threw her arms around her little body, holding around herself almost painfully as the sobs continued. 

If anyone heard her outside, she didn't care. All she wanted was to cry until she had no tears left, even if it could mean to cry her soul out. And she wanted Lan to hold her. She wanted his arms to embrace her tightly; his hands to caress her hair and rubbing her back to soothe her; his lips to place gentle kisses at the top of her head; his soft voice murmuring how much her loved her. 

But he wasn't there –she was alone in the dimly-lit-up tent– and that fact made her only cry harder, and louder. Nynaeve threw herself face-down in the bed, her feet tangling themselves into the bed covers, but she didn't bother to remove them. 

Time seemed to pass painfully slow. Apart from her own sobs, there was an utter silence both inside and outside the tent, strange as it was closing in on dinner-time and all of the camps would eat around the fires, which many of them –too many to Nynaeve– were placed just paces away from hers and Lan's tent. 

_**Our** tent,_ she thought sadly and broke into another series of sobs. Their tent and Lan wasn't even there. _He's angry at me... Angry because I didn't tell him about the babes and he had to hear it from Min._ The bed cover beneath her was soaked from her tears, but she didn't move to a drier spot. She had discovered she was lying on Lan's side of the bed, and it was like she wanted to show her husband it was his fault she was crying. That he had done this to her. 

Nynaeve wanted to curse him, but at the same time she wanted everything to be like they were before Min had told of her viewing. Then she could have figured out she was with child herself and told Lan, and escaped all this mess. But she knew she couldn't turn back time, and in the end, her only wish was for Lan to hold her in his safe embrace. 

"Oh, Lan," she moaned down in the bed. "Why can't you just be here and hold me? I need you..." Her sobs continued as there was no reply, no movement. She buried herself deeper into the bed covers. 

Then suddenly she was caught off guard as two strong arms pulled her up from the wet covers and into a tight embrace. She didn't resist; she knew who it was the second she caught the person's scent. Instead Nynaeve cradled herself in the protective arms of the person, her head resting at the shoulder, her hands clutching the opposite arms as she continued to cry. 

"I'm- I'm so scared, L- Lan." Her voice was weak from sobbing and her body began to tremble heavily. Her husband held her more tightly, his hands beginning to rub her back in comfort. 

"Sh..." Lan hushed softly, intending to soothe her. There was no trace in his voice or appearance that he was still angry, but Nynaeve felt tears escape her eyes even though. She sniffed deeply before she spoke again, her voice still trembling but gaining strength. 

"I'm s- so afraid of l- losing them, or -or y- you. I- I love you so m- much. I can't live without you." He kissed the top of her head. Suddenly it felt like Lan was shaking, but Nynaeve thought it was just her own imagination. Her husband **never**let emotion overcome him **that** much, even though his stone heart had slowly gone softer. 

"I," Lan coughed, "I love you too, my heart." And as he spoke those words, Nynaeve realised he actually **was** shaking! 

Her sobs suddenly turned into short hiccups, she pulled back to look at Lan's face, and was amazed and shocked at what she saw. 

Lan was staring out in the air –obviously not noticing she was looking at him– his ice blue eyes clouded as the result of all the emotion flowing through him, and down his nose she traced the path to one, single tear. 

She moved in his arms, drawing his attention, and he looked down at her, warmth and love in his eyes, no trace of anger. She reached out a finger to wipe away his tear, but he caught it in mid-air and pulled it gently down. 

"Please don't." His voice was steady again, Nynaeve noted surprisingly. "Sometimes a man has to let down the defensive walls around his heart and for once be a real man. I must be allowed to feel these tears on my face, as I have never experienced it before." She looked disbelieving at him. 

"I have never cried before in my life, Nynaeve, never. I grew up among soldiers and became one of the hardest, and coldest." Another tear ran down his nose, and Nynaeve held back the urge to wipe that away too. His eyes locked with hers, and she drowned in the ice blue pools of warmth, passion and –sadness. She gulped down a gasp, and reached out to stroke his hair in an attempt to stop her from start sobbing again because of her own sadness. 

"You know how I am, my heart. You saw how I was before my love for you grew stronger and I let worry and all other warm emotions I knew nothing about into my life. I have been cold and hard as long as I can remember, and I know I am still, even though you make me smile and laugh more often. I have been a blind fool to not let those feelings earlier into my life, and now I see it more difficult to do so than if I had been younger." He paused, watching her reaction. She said nothing, she was too shocked. Lan had just revealed things he would never had done before, and what she wanted most was to kiss him, but she knew he wasn't finished, and therefore she waited. Her husband understood, and sent her a warm smile. Nynaeve smiled back, her hand gliding down to his neck and resting there, ready to pull him into a kiss the instant he was finished. 

"I am sorry to have caused you fear and tears today, my heart. Do not protest, I know it was I and the way I confronted you in Elayne's tent that is the reason why you have been crying. I am sorry not to have been here the moment you woke up, but I needed to sort out my own feelings." 

"And have you?" Nynaeve asked, her voice shaking a bit. 

Lan looked long at her, then nodded. 

"My feelings got the better of me, and climbed over the walls around my heart, and I know that they won't stay outside them for long, so therefore I need to do this now." 

Nynaeve was about to ask what he needed to do, but she closed her mouth, only to open it slightly, as her beloved husband began to cry. Not sobbing, just tears rolling down his face in thick streams from his watery eyes. She sat up straight, and drew her arms around his neck, determined to comfort Lan as he had done so many times to her. He answered by hugging her back, his body trembling but no sound escaped his mouth except his heavy breathing. 

"I am also scared, Nynaeve," Lan murmured into her hair. She felt her own tears start falling. "Terrified. I cannot loose you, or the babes; I will die without you. My love for you is greater than my will to live." 

"Oh, Lan!" she cried and buried herself deeper into his neck, unable to say anything else. 

Darkness crept over them as the afternoon sky slowly turned to early evening. 

**** 

"Lan?" Nynaeve asked quietly. Their tears had stopped, and now they just laid still in each others arms, comforting. Both were still sad, as the reminders of the following day came back to them. Not a single moment of happiness had been in that tent since Nynaeve was brought there. 

"Yes?" Lan replied softly. He had let his emotions climb back over his 'walls', but Nynaeve notices he was softer than before. 

She moved in his arms and looked up at him. 

"You do remember what Rand made us –well me, actually– promise before the march began?" 

Lan nodded thoughtfully. "He wanted a last meal with his friends from Emond's Field before the Battle." Then it dawned to him, and he looked surprised at her, even twitching his lips in a smile. "And that meal was at sunset, which would mean at least a few minutes ago." She smiled back at him, but it was a sad smile. 

"Love, I just want to forget about the bloody Last Battle for a night, and be happy of bearing our children." Lan traced his finger down her nose, and smiled. It was not a sad smile, it was a happy smile. 

"Our children…" He began grinning and it made Nynaeve smile too. His hand moved down to her belly and laid there gently, as if he was awaiting a confirmation that it really was a child in there. Both had their eyes at his hand for a few moments, studying it as realisation crept into their minds. 

Nynaeve looked up at her husband, now happy because he was happy, and she leaned in, her hands pulling his face closer. 

"**Our** children, Lan." Then she kissed him. 

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**_A/N:_**_ Oh, it feels so good to be back! Please, please, REVIEW! Now that my block is gone, I'll post chapters sooner, and I'll even get them longer! _

**By the way, thank you so much all of you who has reviewed! You have just earned yourself a star in my book!**


	6. Chapter 6: The Decision

**_Disclaimers: _**_I don't owe Nynaeve, Lan or any other characters from the Wheel of Time series, only the plot._

**_Author's Note:_**_ Two weeks, I know, and I'm really, REALLY sorry it took so long, but school have started and with that, also the piling and dreadful homework... :( Anyway, I'm going to do my best keeping this story going, and all I ask for is a little PATIENCE from you guys. I'll try posting each week, but it might as well take longer, due to my ever-shrinking spare time. ^_^ _

_Now, thank you so much for your great reviews! *stands up and applauds together with the rest of the world* This chapter is for you! Contains what you have all been waiting for, but don't worry, it'll not end here!_

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** Chapter 6 – The Decision**

The evening was climbing over the landscape, clouds disappearing and revealing glittering stars on the black background. There were thousands of them, millions. Once in a while, one or two fell down, leaving a long thread of light, like a tail, after them. The moon rose up from behind the dark silhouettes of mountains and cliffs, a grey-shimmering light covering the surface of the landscape, making a beautifully picture. Only that to someone, it was not a happy sight. 

This person glared at the picture, as if trying to make it disappear out of sheer will power. It did, however, not work, and the person turned abruptly away, eyes falling on a tent a few paces in front of the person. The person hated that tent, hated the ground it stood on, hated the person inside it. 

Suddenly, a bright, strong light appeared out of nowhere, making the person quickly reach the hands up to cover its face. Buried in its hands, the person only heard what was going on, but the person understood perfectly –it had experienced it too many times. Straightening up and removing the hands, the person put up an expressionless face. 

"You're late." It was not a question, it was a statement. 

"Really? Well, I didn't know." The newcomer grinned. Light, how the person hated that creature! 

"My master won't be pleased. He need to finish those plans before the battle begins. And he has had a vision that someone can cause quite more damage to the Great Lord than the al'Thor boy will. Especially if the person is linking with the boy." A pair of eyes searched for some surprise from the newcomer, but none came, and the person dismissed the thought. 

"He is expecting you inside." And with that, the person stalked off into the night, moving like a spider before the darkness swallowed everything. 

**** 

For the first time since the people inside the tent of the Dragon Reborn had learned the fact that the Last Battle was quickly closing in, they were laughing and chatting with each other, not about the following day and the sorrows of life, but every happy memory they could think of. Especially the Emond's Fielders was particularly enjoying themselves, as they exchanged memories of Rand, Perrin and Mat's many adventures who mostly ended in the Wisdom's -Nynaeve's- hands, who boxed their ears and slapped their bottoms for acting stupidly. Normally, Nynaeve would have just sniffed after one of those stories, and say they got what they deserved, but tonight, everyone from Two Rivers saw the change in her, as she instead of sniffing, laughed together with them. Even those who did not come from Emond's Field, realised something had changed the normally sniffing-and-tugging-braid-in-anger Nynaeve radically, and Lan too. But none who didn't know the reason behind the change commented it, and those who did know, kept it to themselves. Well, with three exceptions. 

**** 

Min cast a sideway glance at her beloved. He was engaged in a conversation with Perrin, Mat, Gawyn and Lan, and the five of them were laughing together at some story Mat had told them. It still amazed Min whenever Nynaeve's husband laughed. It was such a big gap from the silent type he had been, and the softened man he had become after marrying Nynaeve, it always surprised her. _And now they're having their first children, the future of Malkier._ She studied both of them. 

Lan wore a half soft, half stony expression, as he grinned at a comment from Perrin on Mat's story. When he had first gotten here, arm put protecting around Nynaeve's shoulders, he had been exhilarated, she could tell. She guessed he had been happy about the children after all. But now, sadness was slowly emerging over his face, and his grins dropped a bit each time, as the evening passed, inviting the cold night. And every now and then, he would lock eyes with his wife, stroke her hand, or study her in secret when she talked with the other women, and sigh in sadness, not loudly, just barely a heavy breath. 

Nynaeve, on the other hand, seemed very occupied in her talks with the women, laughing more than usual while telling childhood stories from Two Rivers of Rand, Mat and Perrin, causing quite amusement from Faile, Tuon, Birgitte, Aviendha and Elayne -Min was only half-listening, and smiled sometimes, before returning to her own thoughts. But even though the Yellow tried her best to act like there was no sorrow and no Last Battle the following day, she could not fool Min. Reading the body language, the young girl was certain that Nynaeve was terrified, despite her efforts of forgetting about the Battle for one night, and it made her sad. _She was so happy when she arrived here with Lan, and now she's going along the same way as he is, letting the sadness creep over her._

Suddenly, Min felt a stab of emotions in her head, from Rand, and she turned to him. 

He had retreated from the conversation with the other men, and stood together with Egwene, who was looking at her expectantly. Min shook her head; she didn't know what they had asked about, as she was too caught up in her own minds. 

"Are you alright?" Rand asked, concern in his voice. Min suddenly realised he must've felt her sadness. She sighed and shrugged her shoulders. Rand moved closer to her, along with Egwene. 

"It's all right, Min," said the young Amyrlin. "We feel sorry for them too." 

Rand took her hand gently and looked down at her. "Have you had any more viewings about them? About what they should do?" 

Min began to think back, but she could not remember having any more viewings except the first one about the twins. She let out a heavy breath, and grabbed hold of Rand's hands. They were warm and gentle, and she wished they could go back to their tent, and their bed. 

"No," she replied while looking up at her bond mate through her eyelashes. "None at all." Sadness flowed through the bond, and Min caught Egwene sigh heavily as she stole a glance at the earlier Wisdom, who was now just grinning while the others laughed. The young woman leaned closer. 

"Then we have no other choice but let Nynaeve and Lan decide what shall be done." These words brought silence among those three, and Min tightened her grip on Rand's hands, causing him to smile weakly. 

**** 

Nynaeve sat back in her chair, her eyes drifting off to the other side of the tent, and locking with Lan's. She felt sorrow roll over her when she saw the worry and sadness in his eyes, and she tried to smile, but it came out as a small twitching, and she dropped her gaze. She had discovered during the night that Tarmon Gai'don was not easily forgotten. 

**_*Blood and ashes, Nynaeve!*_**her little voice said._ ***You said you wanted to forget about the Battle, and be happy for just one night! Well, forget about it then, and have fun with these people, even though it is totally out of character for you to do anything but sniffing and snorting in anger!***_

_It's difficult_, she replied. Light how she hated that voice! _It's too big to just disappear from my mind, you bloody...! She stopped, realising she was cursing her own mind. She sighed inwardly. _I can't stop thinking about the possible outcomes of this battle._ _

**_*Lan will be fine, you will be fine, the babes will be fine -you'll win the whole bloody Last Battle! Well, at least Rand will. Didn't you say so to yourself earlier? Rand would defeat the Dark One easily, and peace would embrace the world, and Lan would see his kingdom raise from the ground?* _ **

_Those are my hopes, not..._ She couldn't find words for what to say. For once, Nynaeve al'Meara was speechless. Staring out in the air, Nynaeve felt a hollow emptiness fill her with such power her eyes swelled with tears. _I cannot loose self-control now, not here._

**_*And why not? Most of these people know what condition you're in.*_**

_I'm too emotional! _she replied angrily. _This bloody 'condition' I'm in is playing with my emotions! I cannot show weakness in a time like this!_

**_*Oh yes, you do. You know no one will blame you, condition or not; they're also suffering, scared of their loved ones, terrified of the possible outcome tomorrow. They won't say a word.*_**Nynaeve felt her tears threatening to fall, and she began turning away from the other women, but stopped as a hand was laid on her arm. Her eyes stared at the owner of the hand. 

"What's the matter?" Elayne asked concerned. Nynaeve wanted to scream what was going on, throw herself into the arms of her husband, and cry soundly, not caring what the other occupants of the tent thought. She swallowed a big lump in her throat, and opened her mouth to say something, but nothing came out, and she sensed a single tear find its way down her cheek. 

"Nynaeve?" It was Rand's voice. She didn't respond to it immediately. It was like she was somewhere else. The people around her was just muffled voices, and the whole tent blurry. Her eyes tried to focus on the goblet that suddenly flew in the air in front of her. A soft feeling of happiness flowed through her; she had taken hold of _saidar_. 

A blurry figure sat beside her, taking her hand. She moved her focus from the goblet and to the figure, but she could not see clearly. Almost at the brink of tears for not capable of focus, Nynaeve wanted to scream; she opened her mouth but not a word came out, like something or someone wanted her to be silent. She closed her eyes tightly, hoping that when she opened them, she would see clearly, but as soon as darkness filled her eyesight, a voice began thundering inside her head, and pictures swam before her eyes. 

****Vision**** 

**_"You cannot hide forever!"_**_ She sees herself, dressed for battle, riding beside Lan. _

**_"I will kill you like I kill your so-called Dragon Reborn!"_**_ Together with Rand, she walks towards the Dark One, the Power filling both of them. They are linked. _

**_"Lews Therin Thelamond and Seryan Metheri, you will never see this world again!"_**_ The Last Battle is raging around her, shadows quickly creeping over the battlefield. _

**_"I will be victorious!"_**_ The battlefield are totally covered in shadows, and now they start embracing the rest of the world. A horrible laughter filled her head._

****End Vision**** 

Nynaeve's eyes popped open with a scream, and she barely noticed that she could see clearly or that she had screamed, before throwing herself into the arms of her husband, who had been kneeling beside her, worry in his eyes. Her tears sprung out in thick streams, and she began sobbing violently. 

**** 

The people in the tent stared shocked and wide-eyed at the couple kneeling on the ground. Lan had Nynaeve in a safe and protecting embrace, and they could hear him murmuring soothingly to his wife, but her sobs didn't diminish. Everyone began to think back to what had just happened. 

Nynaeve had gone all unfocused, and tears had come rolling down her cheeks silently. Rand had tried to talk to her, but she had suddenly closed her eyes and after a few moments, she had screamed, making most of them jump in surprise and horror. No one found words to say something; they just watched, and confusion could be seen in most of the pairs of eyes. 

**** 

Mat, like everyone else, stared wide-eyed at the woman he had known to be so strong, now wailed in the arms of her husband. It was still shocking for him to know that the man who had come to Emond's Field that Winternight –in the company of a woman who called herself an Aes Sedai– and had taken him, Perrin, Rand and Egwene to the world outside Two Rivers, had ended up marrying the strict –former– Wisdom. 

_Blood and ashes, what is going on here? _

**_*It is the bloody Last Battle! It has this effect on everyone!*_** his little voice answered with a growl. 

_Not like this! _He replied._ There's something else behind this outburst! Nynaeve would never acted like this without a good reason, and she would have said that the Last Battle is **not** a good reason! _

**_*But would you blame her if she suddenly changed her mind?* _**

_Of course not, I mean, people change, and I have seen how Lan has changed her, and she him. But there really **is** something else going on, I know there is. _

**_*They will explain,* _**the voice concluded. 

_Hopefully,_ Mat answered grimly, turning his attention to Tuon beside him. She now wore an expressionless mask on her face, her eyes on him. They said nothing, not wanting to break the silence among the watchers. Their hands met and grabbed tightly around each other, and they moved the gazes to the couple, who was now sitting on the ground. 

"Nynaeve," they could hear Lan ask gently, only soft emotion in his voice. "Tell me, what is wrong? What happened?" So something had happened, it was not the tension around the Last Battle. 

Nynaeve didn't move, but her sobs subsided slowly, and she managed in the end to speak, but it was merely a whisper, and Mat concentrated hard to listen what the woman said. 

"L-Lan, I-I cannot s-stay be-behind, I-I have to fi-fight with Rand a-against the D-Dark O-One, or the L-Light cannot w-win." Mat found himself shocked and speechless. 

_Wait a moment, wasn't that according to the plan? Or had something, or someone, changed it? Light, now I **am confused!**_ He turned and met Tuon's confused face, her brows furrowed. They looked at each other for a short moment, mirroring each other's feelings and thoughts. Then Rand's voice shot them back to reality. 

"Nynaeve, what are you talking about? Have you already taken a decision?" His last question was directed at Lan, who sat rubbing his wife's back, since Nynaeve was in no condition to answer. 

Lan just shook his head, obviously shocked as well. Mat began to wonder if the man had ever cried, since he looked like he was just going to, but didn't know how. He opened his mouth to speak, but the Warder was quicker than him. 

"Nynaeve, what happened?" he asked again, his voice calm, masking the worry in his eyes. The woman in his arms wriggled, and sat back, staring intently at the man. 

"He spoke to me." Her voice was restraining the urge to tremble, Mat could tell. "And showed me pictures from a vision. I have to fight, Lan. I'm sorry." The tent fell dead quiet as they understood who she was talking about. 

Again, Mat was shocked, and he tightened his grip on his beloved's hand, causing a faint smile from her. _Light, the Dark One speaking to Nynaeve... _

He watched as Lan's expression changed from fear to expressionless to determination, just in a matter of seconds. 

"Then so be it," he spoke quietly, and at his words, Nynaeve fell into his arms again, but this time, she didn't cry. 

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**_A/N: _**_*lets out a relieved breath* Puh.... Never thought I'd finish this one! :) Well, now I'm at least finished, and so are you... with reading the chapter, I mean. *grins* Anyway, just a few notes before I go on rambling about **you** REVIEWING this chapter! _

_If any of you non-members –and members who hasn't author alert– wants to be alerted when I update this story, let me know and I'll put you up on an e-mailing list! That way I'll keep you posted on when I upload new chapters. ^_^ _

_And in case you noticed a name during this chapter that is not mentioned in the books –**Seryan Metheri– **you'll get an explanation in the next chapter, trust me! :) _

_Earlier above, I said I was going to ramble on about you guys REVIEWING, and since I feel that it's not enough to tell you twice, I give you a third go: PLEASE REVIEW! _

_That's all for now, see ya all later! _


	7. Chapter 7: The Calm Before The Storm

**_Disclaimers:_**_ Hey, get those lawyer letters out of my face! *slaps the hands holding the letters away and returns to the keyboard* There's no point, do you hear me, no point at all! *snaps at the owners of the hands* I don't make any money out of this story, and I don't owe the WoT series (Robert Jordan does), just the plot, so get away from me! :) _

**_Author's Note:_**_ I'm really, REALLY, sorry I haven't updated until now! I had planned to get it out on Thursday, but of course my computer decided it was the perfect day to break down! *argh* _

_Anyway, thanx to all of my faithful reviewers for the response to the last chappie! I thought it was a real bad one, and was therefore SO happy when you guys appreciated it! :) **Mashiara Chicka **- thanx for raising my spirits with your most welcoming reviews! I promise lots'n'lots of Nynaeve and Lan from me! _

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**Chapter 7 -** **The ****Calm Before The Storm**

The moon was already up at the black, cloudless sky, giving away a grey-shimmering light. It was totally quiet in the camps, no chatting around the fires, no sounds from within the hundreds of tents in various patterns and colours. It was like there was no life at all, that time stood still. No movements, not even the fires or tents in the cold wind. And even the wind seemed to go slower than usual. 

Neither of these things seemed to occur to Nynaeve on the way back to hers and Lan's tent. Her husband walked right beside her, his arm holding hers firmly, worry written all over his face, since she looked like she was at the brink of falling face-down any minute. The tense moments back in Rand's tent had worn her out, and she had become quiet and distanced. It frightened him a bit to see his wife like this; it wasn't normal. But then again, he felt like wanting to do that himself. Just the events since this morning, and the terrible decision **he** had to make because of the wedding vows told him to, seemed to be a good enough reason to collapse too. 

It had been a strange moment when he had lain in Nynaeve's arms and cried earlier in the night, but it had also felt like a relief to let those feelings slip out of his shell this once. He would not do it again, and certainly not now. Nynaeve needed him to be strong, to comfort her. It would do her no good if he went too emotional again. It would probably make the situation worse. He looked forward to a sleepless night; at least he expected it to be. 

They continued to walk in the silence that had been there even before they left the others to their own thoughts and talks. Lan felt Nynaeve tense, but it was gone before he even got to turn around. He stole a glance at her, beginning to worry about what could possibly have caused her to tense. 

She was as radiant as always, now with moonlight littering up her beautiful features, with her long, dark hair unbraided and almost reaching the back of her knees. Her face was expressionless, yet the eyes staring out in thin air revealed her feelings -sadness, fear, and....curiosity? Lan could not believe what he saw, but he knew his eyes did not deceive him. Why was she curious? 

He took her hand gently in his, and after a few moments of more silence, Nynaeve responded to the action. Their eyes locked, dark meeting ice blue. 

"What is bothering you?" he asked simply, but his voice was as soft as the thumb caressing the back of her hand. The fear and sadness in her eyes seemed to diminish and the curiosity grows strong. _But why? _

Nynaeve mumbled something he couldn't hear, and when he gave her a questioning look, she repeated a little higher, "the vision." 

_The vision? What - oh..._ He restrained the sudden urge to growl as his mind brought the realisation that the Dark One had talked to his wife. The Dark One! And that just remembered him of Him being free of his prison, the Battle the next day, the position his wife had next to the Dragon Reborn, the condition she was in.... 

_Light! My children and wife can be killed tomorrow! _ He realised he had turned away from Nynaeve, and, blinking back the tears forming in his eyes, he turned around to meet her worried glance. Needing the feel of holding her again, he threw his arms around her, and drew her into a tight embrace, kissing her passionately. 

"Light, Nynaeve! I cannot loose you!" She didn't move away from him, knowing he needed this. How he loved her! His wife sneaked her arms around his waist, resting her head at his chest, and they stood in complete silence. 

***** 

Rand leaned heavily back in his chair, sighing. It had not gone like he wanted it to. Nynaeve was supposed to stay behind, safe both for her and her children, and –_Stop it. It was not your decision. It was Lan's and Nynaeve's. And they have decided. She will fight tomorrow at my side. _

**_*Seryan! Where have my faithful friend gone to?*_** Lews Therin yelled inside Rand's head. After cleansing _saidin_, the old Dragon had become slightly more normal, not mourning over a woman called Ilyena at all times, or cackling madly. 

_Seryan? _ Rand asked with interest. He had grown accustomed to the fact that he could have a proper conversation with the person he had reincarnated from. _ Who is that? _

**_*My friend through water and fire,*_** Lews Therin answered. **_ A woman I could trust apart from my wife, who helped me when the madness came and no one wanted to help me, save her. She was one of the Hundred that closed the Dark One's prison under my lead. A brilliant and remarkable young lady. She was to be married with he beloved, when I... when I killed her... Oh Seryan! Forgive me!*_** Then the madness crept in, and Lews Therin's moans of how he wanted his wife's forgiveness –now together with Seryan's– slowly subsided into nothingness. The Dragon's words left Rand speechless and silent, until the buzzing inside the tent got the better of him, and he rose quickly. 

"QUIET!" he roared, frustration filling his insides. You could hear a pin drop, as his eyes drifted over the persons in the tent, every face shocked at his outburst. _Damn the whole bloody Last Battle! Light, everyone I love can die tomorrow, or in the days after if we lose. Elayne, Aviendha, Min, my children... _He sighed. So much depended on the outcome tomorrow, it was horrible.

"Rand," a voice said behind him. He turned and met Mat's worried eyes. "What in the Light happened earlier? Was it not according to the plan that Nynaeve was fighting with you?" He sighed again. They should know the truth. _And I'll shall give it to them._

***** 

After a long time in each other's embrace and total silence, Nynaeve pulled back, looking calmly into Lan's eyes. She knew how he felt and she wanted to do something to comfort him, sooth him, but what? Then it suddenly came to her. _Why haven't I thought of that before? _She shaked her head. _You are beginning to loose it, Nynaeve. _She looked up at him, her lips twitching slightly in a smile. 

"Is Myrelle with the army?" She watched his reaction with surprise. Was that worry she saw in his eyes? 

"Why do you want to know?" he replied uneasy. 

She gave him a long look; her eyes filled with love and determination. 

"I think it is about time I get that bond of hers." And to that, he only smiled widely before embracing her and kissing her passionately. 

***** 

The woman moving like a spider in the night, brushed absentmindedly her blonde braids. She hated to have done it this way, but she had to keep her cover, and if she were revealed, her master's plan would be ruined. However much she hated her master, she could not escape his grasp without dying. He held her soul; she was bound to him. 

A sound to her left made her spin around silently, as a sweet feeling of extra life flowed through her. There was no one there, and she cursed herself for being so skittish. 

_Blood and ashes, do what you came to do, then leave. There's not a good idea to stay here too long on a night like this._

The woman reached a cliff, and went down on all four and crawled further to the edge. She looked down, nothing of what she saw was a big surprise. _It's a big camp, but nothing compared to what the Great Lord holds. They will be slaughtered like sheep. And I will get my revenge. Curse that woman! She will burn forever in the Pit of Doom if I can arrange it! _

Her eyes drifted over the dark tents and suddenly she caught the sight of a couple in embrace. She immediately recognised who they were, and her lips curved in an evil grin. A plan began forming in her mind.

_Oh yes, that would be more crushing than burning forever, it might even **kill** her! _she thought sarcastically. 

Laughing silently, the woman crawled backwards. _el'Nynaeve Mandrogoran, await your worst nightmare! _

***** 

One thing Lan had learned from his one-year of marriage and three years of knowing her, was that Nynaeve could be, no, **was** very stubborn once she was determined on doing something. And she certainly was now. 

Taking long strides despite her short legs, Nynaeve made her way directly past the many tents and fires to her destination, leaving Lan to follow "closely"; he was almost three feet behind. His eyes darting from left to right, up and down, lingering for a few moments on something suspicious-looking every now and then, Lan was like a wolf –alerted and on guard. Not drawing his attention away from their surroundings, he studied the bundle of emotions at the back of his head that was Myrelle. 

At first he didn't sense anything, due to him learning how to mask the bond from Rand himself, but when he willingly uncovered the Green sister's emotions, he stumbled at the effect it had on him. He stopped dead in his tracks, shock evident on his face. _Light! Is she doing what I think she's doing? _

**_*Isn't that obvious from the feelings you are experiencing now?*_**his little voice teased him. 

_Blood and ashes! We cannot go in there now!_ Quickly he looked forward to see Nynaeve, only to discover she was not there. In fact, she was nowhere to be seen. 

Desperation and worry filling his insides, Lan began running, completely forgetting to mask the bond again to prevent any unwanted feelings and reactions from himself. Then he suddenly came to a halt, as embarrassment and anger rolled through the bond in such a strong force he almost tripped out of dizziness. _Guess my wife stumbled in on them at a bad time, then._ He was shocked, to say the least, and stood rooted to the spot. Then he gave a small smile that turned into a grin that reached his ears before he burst out laughing whole-heartedly. 

To say he didn't like Myrelle would be an understatement. He practically loathed her. Ever since she had laid eyes on him for the first time, she wouldn't let go of him. It had taken a strong will to escape her net, and he was truly happy the time Egwene had sent him off to Ebou Dar to "protect Nynaeve". _And it was a good thing also, since we ended up married and now we're having our first children, the first heirs of Malkier. _He smiled at the thought, having forgotten what the next day would bring and the situation he was in now. 

Still smiling and chuckling silently, he made his way towards the tent of Myrelle Sedai, his bondmate. A few paces away from his destination, Lan was surprised to feel something new through the bond. _Satisfaction._ What could Myrelle be so satisfied about? Had she done anything to Nynaeve? He felt a slight rising of anger inside him, and walked the last distance in a few, long strides. Reaching the tent, he threw open the flap, his eyes immediately searching for his wife, but what met him, was absolutely not what he expected. 

The tent was just big enough for two people to live in, and that would mean that they shared bed, well, a bed three and a half feet broad that is. A large chest stood along the opposite wall, and that left a very little space to stand on in the little tent. Therefore the scene before him was very amusing. 

On the bed sat one of Myrelle's Warders casually under the covers, shirtless and his skin very red, though his face was expressionless. Myrelle was on her way up from the bed, and actually gave a little whimper when his eyes drifted over the bed sheets she held around herself, his lips curving in a smile. The bond told of embarrass mingled with the after-effects of her earlier act with her Warder. He began to chuckle. 

_Light, and I thought_ _I'd never see the day when I would make Myrelle embarrassed!_

As his eyes drifted over to his wife's back in front of him, he became silent. That was, until she turned and he could see her wide grin. A mischievous glint in her eyes told him she had planned this. _For every day that pass, I still seem to find out more about Nynaeve. What else is there that I don't know?_ Then she turned back to Myrelle, her lips still smiling and satisfaction showing on her face, and he restrained his chuckles when he saw the Green straining to become calm and composed. 

"I'm **so** sorry I came unannounced, Myrelle Sedai," Nynaeve began, calm flowing through her. _She really can look like an Aes Sedai when she wants to_, mused Lan. "But I believe we have some business to attend to." Myrelle frowned, unsure of what Nynaeve meant with 'business'. "Have you forgotten already? Really, Myrelle, I thought you had a great memory when it came to things concerning you and your Warders." You could tell from the look Myrelle sent Nynaeve that the truth had suddenly dawned to her. "You have something that belongs to me," his wife finished her speech in a bitter tone, and her brows furrowed for a moment as anger flared up in her eyes, but it was gone in an instant. 

"Yes, of course," the Green answered, waving a hand as she composed herself completely, taking on the mask of an Aes Sedai. Nynaeve tensed, Lan noticed, and he moved to her side, taking her hand and squeezing it gently. They locked eyes, love flashing in them. Someone coughed, and they turned abruptly, Nynaeve glaring daggers at the Green sister. 

"You better get on moving with passing the bond with him, Myrelle, or I'll swear I'm going to box your ears," the earlier Wisdom said through gritted teeth. Lan could do nothing else but to smile at his wife sharp words. _Must be the emotional swings following her pregnancy._

Myrelle openly stared in shock, then quickly began moving, like if she was a servant. Collecting a cloak from somewhere on the ground, she draped it around her so she had her hands free. Then she motioned Lan to kneel, which he did, studying the feelings flowing through the bond. The Green was obviously scared, at least a little, and she seemed like she didn't get rid of their bond quickly enough, as she grabbed his head and began to flows of Passing The Bond. He could not see the weaves, but he could feel the presence of them; a tickling at the back of his head growing until it suddenly snapped, disappearing into nothingness. He felt empty, but as he turned his head to look at Nynaeve, a little bundle of emotions suddenly appeared where the last one had been. 

Surprised, but happy, he rose and locked eyes with his wife. Through her whole body, he could see her blood veins shining in gold. _Finally... _ They met in an embrace filled with their passion, their wanting, their love. He lowered his head and brushed his lips lightly on hers. 

After a while, Nynaeve pulled back, tears forming in her eyes, and she sent a look at Myrelle, and he was surprised yet again to feel her hatred towards the Green mixed with gratefulness. She said nothing, just snuggled her arm into his and he took the hint and they walked out. But at the entrance, Lan turned. 

"Thank you, Myrelle Sedai." He gave a smile, and the Aes Sedai returned it whole-heartedly. 

_After so many years of waiting..._ Lan thought to himself as they made their way back to their tent, happy over finally being bonded._ I can't describe the feeling. It's like my emotions wants to climb over the defensive walls again._ He looked down at her as they entered the tent. _Has she suddenly become more radiant, or ... _She looked back at him. _The golden veins... I never thought I would see them..._

Time seemed to go slower. Her arms flung themselves around his neck, love flowing through the bond along with... _desire?_ He had no time to think, as he embraced her with strong arms, pressing her small body tight to him while placing passionate kisses down her jaw towards her lips. She claimed his lips in a hungry kiss, which grew deeper until he had to pull back to breath. His eyes drifted over Nynaeve.

Her face was flushed and her lips swollen from kissing, and she was breathing as heavily as he did. She stared intently at him, wanting him to continue. He lowered his head willingly, then suddenly remembered what condition she was in, and pulled back abruptly, causing first anger and disappointment to roll through the bond, then -to his big surprise- comfort.

"Don't worry, Lan my love," Nynaeve said calmly and stroked his cheek. "It will not cause any threat to the children. It is absolutely safe." Her words comforted him, and encouraged him. Once again, he claimed her lips -this time more filled with desire- and he didn't let them go.

***** 

Nynaeve woke up to Lan's calm breathing and she felt satisfied. Memories from last night haunted her mind, but then she thought of her and her husband's love-making night, and she forgot all about it. 

It had been wonderful, exciting and absolutely thrilling. _Light, I never knew of that fire blazing inside him; it made everything so -different, more heated up!_ She blushed. _I can't believe I just thought **that**. Blood and ashes, Nynaeve, get a grip on yourself!_ _You're not some tavern girl, talking about things that should not be spoken of out loud! If you had still been back in Emond's F -_

The sound of several horns blowing far away interrupted her thoughts. 

_The warning... _

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~ 

_**Author's Note: **I plan to get out 2-3 more chapters, and then there'll most likely be a sequel, but than depends very much on you guys who actually REVIEW this story! So plz REVIEW and then I'll promise more from me! The next chapter will come in two weeks I think; it'll be a **long** chapter, thus harder and longer to write. *lol* See you then!_

_P.S. Somewhere in this chapter I became a little lazy, but I simply don't bother to do anything about it. ^_^_


	8. Chapter 8, Part One: Tarmon Gai'don

**_Disclaimers: _**_I do not owe the Wheel of Time series, as simple as that. Now *points at the lawyers in front of me* GET AWAY FROM ME! *Does something unmentionable* That should teach them a lesson. *Puts away the baseball bat*_

**_Author's Note: _**_FINALLY!! After almost two months, I'm back in business, and it feels good! Big thanks to my beta **Starlight** for her wonderful work, and help to break my block! *sends big hugs*_

_Anyways, here's the long-awaited continuation of my story, _

^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~^~ 

** Chapter 8: Part One - Tarmon Gai'don  
**  
  
Lan awoke abruptly, not understanding exactly why. His whole body was tired, and he smiled when he remembered why. It had been a very -passionate- night to Lan's opinion, exciting and wonderful.  


  
_And a damned good night to remember too. _ He chuckled to himself, his eyelids almost closed. Then in a flash he opened them again, wide eyes matching the feelings that flowed through him the moment his trained ears heard the sound that had awoken him.  


  
In the far distance, but still close enough, he heard the sharp tones of a horn blowing repeatedly. The sound telling the armies to prepare for battle. The first warning -or is it the second? _How long have I slept? Where is Nynaeve?_   


  
He turned over, and what met his eyes the second he had turned, surprised him beyond anything.   


  
Nynaeve was walking around the tent, gathering clothes and pieces of his armour, laying it neatly together at the end of the bed. There were no hints of sadness, neither on her face, nor through the bond. Lan looked at her in awe.  


  
She was dressed in a most peculiar outfit, not seen by any living person in a century, except himself, but he had only seen it in old pictures from a long-forgotten kingdom. It was a Malkieri battle suit, made for women. He never knew that Nynaeve had had a dress like that.  


  
The outfit looked a lot like something a Maiden would have worn, with tight breeches and high-neck sweater -both in dark green- but over those garments, she had an almost purple-red, sleeveless and embroidered tunic that reached to the middle of her thighs, showing off her great legs. It was lined with broad folds in light green, matching the belt around her waist that was tied at her side, its ends falling down to her thigh. On her feet she wore knee-high boots made of the same soft material the Aiel used, with laces on front, and her hands were covered with light brown gloves. Even though you could not see it, Lan knew it was a thin ring mail underneath all those clothes, and he was sure it was made of cuendillar.  


  
Lan was amazed how well Nynaeve fit the battle suit, and even more surprised that she, by her own will, was wearing breeches, a garment she was trying to get Min to quit wearing. He couldn't believe it. Nynaeve -_his_ Nynaeve! - was showing her legs for the entire world to see! The world must be coming to an end.  


  
Lan shook his head, still watching his wife as she picked up a comb and began to do her hair in front if a mirror. He frowned when he saw her split her long hair, and put it up in the traditional Malkieri battle fashion, two delicate knots and many small braids hanging down from all over her head. He hadn't expected that either, but then of course, it was a part of the female battle suit.  


  
Choosing to hold his mouth shut while Nynaeve did her hair, Lan got quietly out of bed, and started dressing. His clothes smelt washed and clean, and even a small amount of Nynaeve's flowery perfume. He inhaled her sweet scent at the blazer before dropping it onto the bed.  


  
As he put on his underwear, Lan suddenly began to wonder why Nynaeve seemed so calm. He searched through the bundle of emotions that belonged to his wife, expecting to find some hint of fear, but all he could find was calm and determination.  


  
"Nynaeve -" he started as he turned towards her, but she cut in before he could finish his sentence.  


  
"There is nothing wrong with me, Lan." She didn't turn away from the mirror, but he could catch her look in the reflection. She didn't appear sad either. "I'm fine, the babes is fine, and everything will be fine. Just don't begin to fuss over me like some worried-to-death husband because I don't feel sadness or fear of what lies ahead." She continued to do her hair; she was almost finished.  


  
Lan was speechless.   


  
"Who are you, and what have you done with my wife?" the Malkieri asked with a teasing smile. Nynaeve finished what she was doing and turned slowly towards him. His eyes went big.   


  
He had always said that Nynaeve was beautiful, but right now, she was radiant.  


  
The battle suit fitted her perfectly, like it was natural to her, and her hair was absolutely dazzling. But her face... There was just something about it. He could suddenly see wisdom in her eyes that had not been there before, and there was an air about her that told of maturity. He discovered that she resembled more an Aes Sedai now, than ever before. Like she had aged beyond her years over the night.   


  
"What?" Nynaeve asked with a frown, breaking through his thoughts. He just shook his head.  


  
"You -you suddenly look like you have aged. But not in a bad way," he added quickly when he saw her raised eyebrows. "I mean that I now see a woman aged in her mind, not her appearance."  


  
At first, Lan thought the long silence meant that Nynaeve was mad at him for saying at thing like that, but neither the bond nor her face showed anger. But he didn't relax. Not until he suddenly saw her cheeks colour red. He couldn't help it -he began to chuckle. Nynaeve didn't seem to hold her mask any longer either, and grinned broadly before giggling quietly. She stood up from the chair she had been using while doing her hair, and walked over to him. His chuckling subsided, but he still wore the wide smile.  


  
_It is so strange to see the golden veins flowing through her every time she looks at me now. Even though we passed the bond yesterday, it feels like an eternity already, and I hope that we will survive to see it last for many more eternities.  
_

  
They closed in the last pace between them, and threw their arms around each other in a gentle embrace. Lan was careful not to touch his wife's hair, as he knew she would probably freak a little bit out. She tended to do that often these days, but in the end, they would always have a good laugh about it. She had a most wonderful laugh, clear and soft -it could easily compete with the most beautiful songbird, in his opinion. She denied it of course, every time he mentioned it, but he knew she appreciated his warm words. He would always get a session of gentle kisses afterwards.  


  
"What are you thinking?" Nynaeve asked from below his chin; she rested her head at his chest. Her voice was calm, and her body wasn't shivering. _What have happened to make her so calm? Is it her emotional mood swings that come due to the pregnancy? Or is there something else?_  


  
"Lan?"  
  
  
The Warder left his thoughts abruptly, and gazed down in Nynaeve's dark pools. Love shone from her eyes, like it shone from the golden veins, and he was happy.  


  
"Nothing in particular, my love," he answered, not wanting to lay pressure on her. If he asked about her calmness, maybe she would break down again, who knows? He didn't dare take that chance, not now, when the battle was just hours or minutes away. But he could see that Nynaeve didn't quite believe him.  


  
"You're hiding something from me, Lan, what is it?" Her arms disappeared from his waist, as she stepped back; he already missed her touch. He sighed.   


  
_What should I tell her? The truth? Nah, I can't take that risk -maybe she'll break down then, and not be able to fight. Perhaps... Yes, that I can say -she won't be so suspicious then, and by the way, I have actually given it some thought._  


  
"I was thinking about how our life was going to be after the battle." Nynaeve just stared at him at first, still not quite believing him, but then his words sunk in, and she seemed to relax and returned to his embrace.  


  
"I can't wait to get this over with and start a new life with you, and the children," his wife murmured into his chest. "But I can't stop worrying about whether or not we're going to survive this battle." He was about to protest, but she cut in before he could utter a word. "I know, Lan, I know. We must have our hopes up, and really believe we're going to win Tarmon Gai'don, because if we don't, we're going to be a much easier target for the Dark One." They locked eyes, Lan still amazed by this woman who had changed so much during the night. Could it be their night of passion? Or have the truth about the children and the prophecy sunk in properly?   


  
"Ever since I woke up this morning, I have wondered what may have happened to make you so calm and fearless...?" He gave her a little smile, which she returned.  


  
"I am not fearless, Lan, but I may be calm. I have a task to do, and must therefore remain calm and determined so I will not falter in my duty. I will not let Rand down out there, that I can promise you!" Her arms snuggled around his neck and she drew his face nearer hers. "And I will not let you down, my love," she whispered. "I will survive this, and so will you, and so will the babes."  


  
Lan didn't hesitate to answer, even though Nynaeve's speech left him quite silent and thoughtful. "I know we will, my love. My Mashiara." His wife smiled, her lips just inches from his.  


  
"I am not lost, Lan. I am here, now, with you." Then their lips met in a love-driven kiss that none of them was willing to let go. Their bodies clung to each other, and Lan took a tight hold of Nynaeve's small body, lifting her several feet off the ground. Not until they had to step back for a breath-out, did they let go. Around both of their bodies, the golden veins shone so brightly it almost hurt their eyes.  


  
Then suddenly they heard the horn blow again. It was the second warning. Another one, and all armies had to be ready out on the battlefield.  


  
An unspoken conversation, where Nynaeve and Lan just stared into each other's eyes, then they split up, Lan going back to dressing -he had his armour left- and Nynaeve helping him.  


  
It was an old Malkieri suit, made on Nynaeve's instructions. He suddenly understood why she had insisted on him wearing it. She wanted them to match, like they were the last remainders of his old kingdom. A battle lord and lady, fighting against the enemy that was threatening their country. Lan felt pride towards his wife.  


  
_She is so brave. And so determined to do her duty._ He smiled, picking up the ring mail that belonged to his suit, and began putting it on.  


  
The suit was almost identical to Nynaeve's, except he didn't wear a tunic, but a purple-like shirt with short sleeves, and knee-long breeches that could easily be mistaken for something an Athan'Miere wore, but it wasn't all that baggy -for which he was grateful. His shirt and breeches were embroidered with small, golden stitches, forming an elegant pattern across his body. He admitted it -the outfit didn't make him look like a soldier, but that was the advantage of the old battle suits.   


  
_Make the enemy believe you're not so dangerous, then prove the opposite._ That was the old saying; at least it was like that he remembered his sword-teachers said it when he was brought up.  


  
"You look just like you should -a king," Nynaeve said with pride evident in her voice. He gazed down at himself, and then he smiled.  


  
"And you look just like a queen, my dearest," Lan replied, locking eyes with Nynaeve and taking a step towards her. "_My_ queen." His wife blushed openly, and stared down in the ground.   


  
"I hope I will be," she answered, and looked up into his eyes. Their arms somehow snuggled around each other again. "Someday." They led their lips towards the other.  


  
"Someday, you **will** be, Nynaeve, my love." Lips met, passionately and wild, the emotions rolling back and forth their bond.  


  
Just then, someone tumbled inside the tent. They broke apart quickly; Nynaeve turning her head in a fashion that showed her power, just as she had last night in Myrelle's tent. Lan missed her touch already, but he pushed his thoughts and feelings aside, and turned his eyes towards the newcomer.  


  
It was a messenger by the look of him, and he seemed more than a bit nervous. Sweat was streaming down his face and he was constantly rubbing his hands, his eyes flicking from Lan to Nynaeve and back again. He didn't seem to know whom he was going to address, but in the end, he just saluted to Lan and bowed to Nynaeve.  


  
"I'm a messenger for the Lord Dragon Reborn. He request your presence as soon as the Lord and Lady are ready." However nervous the man was looking, his voice certainly didn't falter, to Lan's amusement. He kept his face untouched by his reaction, and just turned to his wife. Nynaeve was looking at the man with dignity and respect, not an angry look as other royals or Aes Sedai would give.  


  
"What is your name, messenger?" she asked after a little moment of thinking.  


  
The man was startled. The Lady was addressing him? Lan was shocked himself too, but somehow, he didn't comment on it. He actually understood what Nynaeve was doing, and therefore stayed at the sideline, just watching the scene before him.  


  
"My -my name, my Lady?" Nynaeve didn't answer, just gave the man a smile. "It is Caden, son of Kay, my Lady." The messenger -Caden- bowed again.  


  
"And do you have a wife and children, Caden?" his wife continued. Lan noted absently that her hand was resting briefly at her stomach. The messenger nodded, looking calmer, by reasons unknown. Maybe it was the memory of his family?   


  
"A wife and son, my Lady. I -I miss them." The man looked down at the ground.  


  
Nynaeve smiled and took a step forward towards Caden. "Then I will tell you this, Caden, son of Kay. Do not let your hopes down, not even in the darkest moment of the coming battle, but believe that we are going to win this war. If everyone believe, then victory will be ours, and you will get home to your wife and son." She finished her speech, determination hanging in the air. Caden looked at her in disbelief at first, then he returned her smile, and bowed again.  


  
"Then I will believe, and I will tell everyone I see to do so also. Thank you, my Lady." With a last salute to Lan, Caden turned and left the tent. Nynaeve stood staring at the tent wall until Lan came up behind her and squeezed her shoulder lightly.  


  
"I do believe, Nynaeve. I believe we're going to grow old together, watch our children grow, and see **our** kingdom raise up from nothing. And I certainly believe that I love you." Nynaeve had tears in her eyes as he kissed her gently. Her arms snuck around his neck. She pulled back for a second, gazed into his eyes, then said:  


  
"And I love you too, Lan. More than anything."   


  
******  


  
The weak breeze rustled Rand's short hair, sending shivers down his back despite the hot air. His eyes were concentrated on the large, dusted plain in front of him. It was empty. Not a single enemy or ally. Just the dark, burnt ground with holes and cracks that would be dangerous to the horses and foot-soldiers, but they were all accounted for; Mat had conjured up a strategy, and Rand trusted his friend to have made a good one too.   
  


It was also as silent as in a grave. Even though horses and men were settling into their position somewhere behind him, it was quiet.   
  


_Too quiet. The Seanchan spies said the enemy was moving. If they were planning to use Gateways, as I'm sure they will, they would have been here by now.  
_

  
*Shut up, wool-head! Do you **want** to fight?* his little voice said bitingly.  


  
Rand bit back his answer. Of course he didn't want to fight! But it was his destiny to confront the Dark One, and inconveniently, the Dark One wanted that confrontation now. He could do nothing else but to do his duty.  


  
_And now Nynaeve, or Seryan as Lews Therin called her, is also a part of that duty. Light! She shouldn't have to! Now that she's expecting and all._  


  
As if he had said a code word for Nynaeve to appear, she was there, right beside him, not saying a word. At her left was Lan on his black warhorse, Mandarb. He, like Rand, was looking over the plain, and from the little Rand could read from his face, Lan was also a bit uneasy. Then Rand suddenly noticed their outfits.  


  
_Nynaeve is wearing **breeches**!? She who is always berating Min on the use of those?_ He was surprised, to say the least, and he gave himself a couple of moments to study the suits closer. _They must be Malkieri battle suits, by the look of them. Wow, I never knew that Nynaeve had such beautiful legs -wait, what am I saying? She is Nynaeve for Light's sake! If she knew what you were thinking -which you shouldn't be thinking by the way- she would kick you to the End of the World! Er... Not "kick" as in "kick with her foot", but "kick" as in "use the Power to kick"...Er...I think the best would be to just shut up, Rand._  


  
He shook his head, and tore his gaze from the earlier Wisdom's legs, hoping that neither Nynaeve nor Lan had noticed him.   


  
"Why are they not here already?" muttered Nynaeve below her breath, oblivious to Rand's sudden nervousness. She hadn't noticed him, and neither had Lan -he hoped. Rand decided to just look in front of him, and try to think of something else than Nynaeve's beautif- _stop it right there, Rand! Light, you have three wonderful and radiant women that love you -and you love in return- and two children -don't you think you should stop these horrendous thoughts of yours about the wife of the Aan'Allein?_  


  
"Rand?" someone asked at his right. He turned in a daze, not noticing Lan's darting eyes from the deep-in-thought Nynaeve and him.  


  
Min was watching him from where she stood on the ground; her eyes were filled with passion, and he saw the golden veins pulsate in a slow and calm rhythm. He smiled. He loved her so much, just as much as he loved Aviendha and Elayne.  


  
"Yes?" he replied, his voice a bit stern. He couldn't get rid of the uneasy feeling caused by the enemy's non-presence. But Min, however, just waved away the sternness in his voice, and spoke unaffectedly  


  
"Her life guard is here," she gestured to a flock of soldiers and Aes Sedai that stood some paces away, all mounted. Rand nodded in approval, and giving Min an encouraging smile, turned back to Nynaeve. He made sure his eyes didn't fell down to the Yellow's legs again, but instead locked eyes with her.  


  
"What am I supposed to do with a life guard?" Nynaeve asked through half-gritted teeth. "Am I not positioned here beside you, Rand?" He could see her anger was building up, and decided to get this over with before all hell broke loose. He took a deep breath.  


  
"I gave it some thoughts yesterday, Nynaeve, and have come to the decision that you will still fight, but from a distance." The Aes Sedai opened her mouth to say something, but Rand spoke before her. "You will be safer there, and so will the children. And it will make it harder for the Father of Lies to fight you, as you are farther away. It will be a battle where we fight from two holds, Nynaeve, and I have a strong feeling we will succeed that way."   


  
Nynaeve was quiet for a few moments after he had finished his speech, which she spent either looking at Lan, the ground, or Rand. In the end, she let go of a deep breath, and they locked eyes. He could see the determination in her eyes, and felt that he knew the answer already before she had uttered it.  


  
"Fine, I will go there. Now, before the enemy decides to show up." With those last words, Nynaeve turned her mount, and began to ride back to the assembled Aes Sedai and soldiers. Rand saw Lan turn Mandarb, and chose not to watch the scene that was going to enfold.  


  
*****  


  
"What do you think you're doing?" Nynaeve asked as Lan rode up beside her.   


  
"Following you," he replied simply, eyes watching her casually.  


  
She stopped, and turned so her mount blocked his way. "No, you're not." Her eyes was glaring dangerously at him. "You are leading Rand's life guard, Lan. You cannot go with me."  


  
"I will ask him to spare me, so that I can protect you." He tried to move past her, but she just moved her horse in the way again. "Nynaeve, please -"  
  


"No, Lan. You're place is here, mine is wherever Rand has planned for me to be. There is no discussion." And her eyes and feelings through the bond certainly confirmed that. Lan realised he was defeated; they were in public, where Nynaeve was higher ranking than him, and their wedding vows said she would then decide what was to be done. His opinion didn't matter.  
  


"As you command, Aes Sedai." His voice was unaffected by his feelings, but she would know he was hurt. He was her Warder and husband -in both positions it was his duty to protect her from dangers. And if he were going to be somewhere else than her, he wouldn't be able to do that. If she died because of lacking protection, he would kill himself.   
  


Nynaeve watched him with sad eyes. He could almost feel her having bad conscious about this.  
  


"Lan," she began, and moved so the mounts touched flanks. "I am sorry. But we all have our duties, and yours is with Rand." He was about to protest, but she raised a hand to silence him. "Yes, I know that you duty also lies with me -and the children- but you can't leave Rand. He needs you. You are his teacher, his guidance, his idol -I can tell." Nynaeve smiled, and he saw the love flashing through her eyes, like the golden veins was pulsating in tact with her heartbeats. "Please stay with him, for me, for children." Her eyes were pleading, and Lan could not resist them. He found himself giving in, and returned her smile.   
  


"Then I will stay with him." Nynaeve let out a relieved breath. "And I will stay alive, my love. For you, and the children." She smiled again.  
  


"And I promise you, that I will do everything in my power to survive whatever is going to come." Lan couldn't stand it any longer, and pulled her body to his in a fierce, yet passionate kiss. Her arms clung to his back as if her life depended on it, and they stayed that way until they heard a horn blow again.  
  


It was the third warning.   
  


With a last kiss, Nynaeve looked at him, mouthing, "I love you", before riding towards her assigned life guard.   
  


_She truly looks like a Malkieri in that dress.  
_  


And with that, Lan returned to Rand's side, his eyes fixed on the plain in front. Neither of them said a word; it was a quiet understanding between them.   


  
Not far after the horn had rung its third warning, did a small area far away draw the attention to the armies. Dark creatures were running through a large, horizontal opening in the air. Quickly, several Gateways appeared all over the plain, and Trollocs, Myrddraals and Darkfriends slowly filled the open ground.  


  
Tarmon Gai'don -The Last Battle- was about to begin.  
  


******  
  


"Ethena, wake up, you silly girl! We are at war here, or have you forgotten?!"  
  


She hated that name, just as much as she hated the golden braids hanging down from her head. But still, she smiled to the person speaking to her -an Aes Sedai called Aela, of the Green Ajah -_with her precious three little Warders flanking her and nobody else._  


  
"I have not forgotten, Aela Sedai. My mind was just elsewhere."   


  
_Concentrated on a certain someone._ At this, her anger flared inside her body.  


  
She gave the Aes Sedai another weak smile. Aela chose not to reply, and just snorted loudly. That's when they heard the first battle cries.  


  
_Finally. Soon, that little damned witch is going to pay dearly for what she did to me.   
_

  
Ethena grinned, and stroked the little figurine around her neck.  
  


_Dearly, indeed._  


  
*****  


  
Nynaeve tried to ignore the first sounds of battle as the group was riding up the hill towards their chosen position. She failed miserably, and stopped her horse abruptly, causing the ones behind her to come with muffled protests.  


  
The armies were advancing at each other; she could see Mat's strategies take place, and most of them were succeeding, yet some was failing. Her eyes darted everywhere on the search for Lan, and Rand, of course. It didn't take her long. All she had to do was to find the centre of the battle, and there they were, fighting for their lives. But there was no sign of the Dark One.  


  
"Nynaeve Sedai, we must move on." She tore her gaze from her husband's moving body, and turned to the person speaking to her.  


  
It was a soldier, one of Mat's men, by the look of him. She nodded slowly, her mind still on the image of Lan.   


  
"Yes, carry on. The Sightburner can be here any moment!"   
  


_Remember, Nynaeve: calm, determination, and duty._   


  
She rode up the hill, her eyes flicking back and forth the slope in front of her and the battle.   
  


_Calm._  


  
Her life guard followed her steps just a few paces behind her, but Nynaeve did not notice -she was too occupied by her thoughts.  
  


_Determination._   


  
She stopped at the top of the hill, and dismounted, making herself less visible from the plain.  


  
_Duty._  


  
Staring at the battlefield below her, she took hold of the Power.  
  


*****  
  


Lan ran through the enemies, dancing his elegant sword dance, slashing, twisting, cutting, and killing Trollocs and Fades. He was one with the sword, one with the burning flame inside the void. He was a deadly weapon, all of him. If his sword did not kill an enemy, his hands, arms or feet would.   
  


But not even when he was in full concentration, inside the void, could he forget about Nynaeve. It was totally quiet and calm where she was, and he could sense she had not yet gone into battling, but she was holding on to the Power. He also sensed her feelings. Calm and determination, love for him, and above all that, the sense of duty.   
  


He was consumed by concentration, continuing his dangerous dance, scattering enemies and breaking the lines so Rand was protected. Lan could sense the male side of the Source being used around him. Rand was sending fireballs, fire daggers, hurricanes, all sorts of weavings that could hurt, kill or confuse the Trollocs and Fades. He was beginning to sweat, but still he kept his calm.  
  


_This battle wills most likely last forever if the Dark One doesn't decides to show up soon. At least for a very long time, so use your strength wisely, just as Girean taught you._   


  
As Lan swept forward, advancing on two Trollocs and cutting their heads off before continuing to his next victims, he heard the loud bang of lightening hitting ground just a few feet away. Sensing Nynaeve's sudden panic, he knew that it was one of hers. She was finally beginning to fight, and he sent encouraging feelings through the bond, telling her he was all right.   


  
At once, she calmed again, and he felt her building up several more attacks. Not long after, a group of ten-fifteen Trollocs was blasted off to eternity, their muffled screams reminding him too much of a wounded animal. But then again, that was what they were. Animals. Dark creatures. Created only for the purpose of wielding a blade. To kill. And if they were dark animals, then by right, all followers of the Light had a reason of slaughter them like animals.  


  
Two soldiers fighting not far from him was hit by a giant fireball, but Lan didn't notice it before he stepped over their burned bodies. The stench of burnt flesh reached his nose, but his face remained emotionless.   


  
_They are just two out of many who will die today, but they will be honoured none the less. And just as much as one of higher rank._  


  
And with that, he fought on.  
  


*****  
  


Screams of pain. Animal howls. Nynaeve did not longer care that she was actually killing someone, no, something. Trollocs and Fades could not be called someone, as they were not human. Their actions since the Winter Night back in Emond's Field, to present, were unforgivable, and inhuman.   
  


She weaved a hurricane of fire daggers and sent it towards three-four Trollocs that was under the lead of a Fade, going to advance at Rand's Life Guard. They never knew what hit them before they lay dead on the ground, the Fade's corpse still twisting, and blood covering the dark sand.  
  
_If only that blasted Father of Lies could come soon, then we could end this battle, so Lan and me can settle down at last!_ She could feel her anger rising, and it affected her attacks in a more furious way.   


  
She decided to lay low for a while, and motioned her "Life Guard" to keep quiet. Her eyes studied the battleground. Nynaeve had never been a master in battle strategies and all things that went with a battle, but still she could notice the advances and offensives of both armies.  


  
In the far south, Aiel was roaming the plain, fighting and holding their ground, backed up by Wise Ones. Trollocs were attacking them fiercely and in large numbers, but still they did not seem to falter, it even looked like they were building up their strength rather than loosing it. She smiled triumphantly for her fellow allies. The Trollocs were on the offensive.  


  
Not far from where the Aiel fought, were the soldiers, cavalries, and archers. They were divided up in troops, arranged by country, and sent different ways across the plain. Their swords, lances and arrows were sharp, yet they were falling back, very slowly.   


  
Nynaeve turned her gaze towards the southeast of the plain, to where the Aes Sedai held their grounds. She could see that they were waiting for their cue, the cue that would send them into battle. And that cue was when the Dark One arrived, and that he had not done. But when he did, the Aes Sedai would scatter into groups, and each group would go and help one troop in the attacks. The Dark One's presence would give new strength to his minions.  


  
_And that is when my help is needed too._ Her eyes drifted back to wherever the bond told her Lan was, searching for his fighting, living body, but they did, however, not get that far.  


  
Suddenly a scream -a woman's- rang through the air like an arrow of ice through her heart. It was full of pain, and so helpless! Then more followed, both men's and women's.   


  
Nynaeve turned quickly to the source of the screams, only to find herself the aim of a Power-brought attack of fireballs. She gave a yelp, and threw herself behind a rock, one fireball burning off a part of her tunic. The smell of burnt garment was awful, and she felt like throwing up. But she could not allow herself to think that far, and jumped away from her spot. A lightening bolt hit the place where she had stood just seconds before.  


  
_Light! Of all enemies, why a Black Sister? Or is it a Forsaken?_  
  
  
She dared herself to look up quickly from her hiding spot behind another rock before rolling over to another place. Her speed to dodge the attacks maimed at her and still manage to breathe afterwards amazed her, but only for a second. She had seen who was her opponent, and her mind burned with hate.  


  
Moghedien.  
  


She had recognized her, despite the golden braids and the strange accent. Yes, she had heard that woman Aela's reprimands to the younger girl Ethena, and what the Forsaken had answered.   
  
  
_Okay, Lan's fine, Nynaeve. Just a couple of bruises and small cuts, but otherwise he is just fine... SO GET YOUR BOTTOM OUT OF HERE AND FIGHT!_   


  
At that, several fire daggers came rushing towards her from above, and Nynaeve dodged them narrowly as she jumped right out on the open ground. Her eyes were fixed at the Forsaken almost immediately, and she had already begun weaving a counter-attack before her mind could register it.   
  


_A lightening bolt would suit her right, as she favours the shadows before the light..._  


  
She gave herself a winning smile. This would be easy. The Forsaken had not yet realised she was no longer in cover, and she had the opportunity to take Moghedien by surprise.  


  
But faith didn't want that.  
  


Just as the lightening bolt was well under way, Moghedien wove a Gateway, and disappeared through it, yet left it open.  
  


_So she wants to play cat and mouse, and let me be the cat. Well, don't let us deny her wishes then!  
_  


With that, Nynaeve rushed forward, checking the bond to ensure that Lan was still alive and searching the battleground for any signs of the Dark One. Seeing none, she walked to the Gateway, at first feeling fear of going through, but then her little voice urged her on, and without a second glance back to the plain below -which would have let her seen a group of Fades moving towards a man clad in green and purple- Nynaeve stepped through the opening.  


  
At once, the Gateway snapped shut behind her, almost cutting off her foot, and at the same time, something suddenly disappeared inside her head. Already before she knew what had happened, she heard her own voice call out in a high-pitched scream:  


  
"Noooo!"  


  
The bundle of emotions at the back of her head that belonged to her beloved husband and Warder was gone.

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_**Author's Note: ** Ah, another chapter finished... Can't tell you guys how great it is to finally have broken that writer's block! ^_^ Well, again, I'm really, REALLY, sorry that it took so long for me to write this, but now that you have finally read through it, please REVIEW! I need them for my muse (yes, I actually have one -who would have thought of that?) *grin* _

_The next part of chapter 8 will come as soon as I'm finished, and my beta has done her work at it. _

_Oh, and one last word: REVIEW!!! :)_


	9. Chapter 8, Part Two: Tarmon Gai'don

_**Disclaimers:** Bla, bla bla, bla bla...Don't owe the Wheel of Time... Bla, bla bla... Robert Jordan's property...Bla, bla bla... No need for suing!_

_**Author's Note:** Thank you so much all of you who has reviewed! I really, REALLY appreciated it, and so do my muse! :O) _

_Oh, and a late MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL, and A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!_

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

** Chapter 8: Part Two –Tarmon Gai'don**

**~**earlier**~**

_At once, the Gateway snapped shut behind her, almost cutting off her foot, and at the same time, something suddenly disappeared inside her head. Already before she knew what had happened, she heard her own voice call out in a high-pitched scream:_

_"Noooo!"_

_The bundle of emotions at the back of her head that belonged to her beloved husband and Warder was gone._

**~**back to present**~**

"No..." Nynaeve fell down on her knees, her whole body shivering in violent trembles. She couldn't believe it, no, she **wouldn't** believe it. "Lan, no, you can't be gone, you just can't!" Her voice was merely a whisper. Surprisingly, tears hadn't begun to form in her eyes. 

_He can't be dead! He is a strong and skilled man, he can't possibly get killed by some light-damned Trolloc or Myrddraal!_

***But then why can you no longer sense him -his feelings and direction?*** asked her little voice carefully, sending cold shivers down her back.

_I –I don't know... But he can't be gone! He just can't! _

***If he is not dead, then there is only one other option...*** Her little voice trailed off, but Nynaeve understood at once what it was telling her, and she froze, neither moving nor breathing. Her thoughts were circulating around one single word.

_Stilled…_

She abruptly broke her reverie, and, almost in panic and despair, searched for the True Source, the only sign that would tell her if she had indeed been stilled, or if Lan had died. 

_Yes! It's there! Then I cannot be stilled! _She let out a deep breath. _But that means… No… No, no, no, NO! _

"Lan…"

Nynaeve didn't notice she had sunk down on the ground, before she felt dirt between her fingers. She could not believe it. Lan couldn't be dead. He was supposed to survive, to live together with her for the rest of their lives, watch their children grow up. 

_Light! He was to see the kingdom of his forefathers' raise up again to its full glory!_

She felt like wanting to die right then –she could not live without him. It was like loosing a large part of her heart, and breaking the rest of it into thousands of pieces.

***Think of the babes, Nynaeve.*** Her little voiced returned. Nynaeve closed her eyes tightly at the thought of her unborn children, so tight it made stars appear behind her eyelids. 

The voice continued. ***They are the heirs of the Malkier throne. Even if Lan is gone, you can still see his old kingdom raise from ashes. It would have been his wish for you to go on, to raise his children and love them. He would have wanted it. And remember the prophecy –you can't leave Rand alone now, you have to fight! You cannot die!***

_But the Dark One is so much powerful, and the most important, he's, for all I know, miles away from here! And I have not the strength to fight Moghedien, weave a Gateway, and fight the Father of Lies._

***That is just something you think, Nynaeve. You are much stronger than you believe. Moghedien stands no fight against you. And the Gateway does not draw much strength, you know that. Why do you act like a coward then?***

_I am NOT a COWARD! How dare you, you filthy, slimy, lightdamned _– Her own thoughts trailed off. Here she lay, swearing to a voice that belonged to her own subconscious, when she was to stand on her feet, ready to fight.

_You're crazy, Nynaeve. Now get up on your feet. No retreat. You'll win this. Fight for the children. Lan's children._

*******

The Spider watched the scene unfold before her with a sick pleasure. She had ridden herself of the Illusion by now, and had once again become the dark-haired, short woman from the Age of Legends. 

A sneer touched her lips. She never would have thought the Aes Sedai would be such a fool and follow her through the Gateway, yet she had. 

_The bloody wanna-be-Malkieri-queen must be loosing her touch. Certainly she would be up and about now, taking such hold of the Power that it would radiate the air around her. Well, it's good I am prepared. _ Moghedien stroked the figurines at the chain around her neck. There were six of them, and each had its own purpose and look. 

One was in a sky-blue colour, formed like a rain drop. It was an _angreal _for Water. Another was as red as the sunset, almost blood-red. It was formed like a fire, and was therefore the _angreal _for Fire. The _angreal _for Earth was a mix of forest green and brown, and its shape looked almost like a tree, or a rock. It depended how you looked at it. The last two _angreal_ was of the same shape –a cloud– but they had different colours. One was very light-blue –Air– and the other was purple-like –Spirit. 

The purpose of these five figures was to lessen the use of the Power in the weavings, yet still have the same effect as if the full Source had been used. They were all too important for her to loose, therefore she had them fastened on a chain made of _cuendillar_. Yes, they had finally discovered how to make _cuendillar_, at least she had. Being the only one knowing was more worth than sharing the secret, and so she had not yet told anyone.

Fingertips flew over the stones again, barely touching them, before lingering at the last one of the six. Her face broke into an evil grin. The misshaped stone was very special. It had been made by herself, back in the Age of Legends, and had a most torturous purpose –at the one it was used on. 

_It serves her right, that damned woman! She should have thought twice about collaring me with that blasted thing, and then made me her servant! Oh, may she burn in the Fires of Shayol Goul forever, because that is where she is going!_

Turning swiftly on her heel, Moghedien sneaked closer to the opening where Nynaeve lay crumpled on the ground, blinded by rage. 

_This is almost too easy_, the Forsaken thought, as she swept forward, taking hold of the Power and feeling the heavenly presence of _saidar_ fill her body. New life streaming through her veins. She almost sighed at the sensations.

"Are you out cold already, _Aes Sedai_?" She asked in a teasing voice, burning the pleasurable picture of the shaking, dirty Nynaeve into her mind. How she enjoyed this! It was too easy! A woman in grief, Aes Sedai or not, was an easy target for enemy attacks.

The woman on the ground didn't answer; she continued lying in the dirt, trembling uncontrollably. Moghedien sneered. 

"Are you too mortified by loosing your precious little husband and Warder that you cannot even stand?" This made a stirrup in the Yellow.

Nynaeve stopped trembling, and after a short moment, she rose her head up high and locked eyes with the Forsaken. It took all Moghedien could muster not to swallow in fear.

_So she is angry, and hurt, but that doesn't mean she is still difficult to kill. And I do not fear that little ex-Wisdom whose _real_ duties lays in birthing children and cook as a farmwoman._

She sneered in an attempt to look fearless. Nynaeve seemed to be fooled, as she swayed a little. At least she thought the ex-Wisdom was fooled. Moghedien took a step forward, holding on tightly to the Source. She had decided what to do now, and quickly wove a shield to block the other woman from _saidar_. She succeeded. The Yellow was now shielded, and normally, the Forsaken would have tied up the shield, but by experience, she knew better than leaving it tied. 

The first moments that passed, Nynaeve just sat on her knees, gazing somewhere to the south, not acknowledging her presence. Moghedien decided to start the attacks, not wanting to draw out more time. She began the weaving of a basic attack to get the other woman off her feet.

But suddenly, she found herself on her back, being blasted off her feet by some invisible force field. Her eyes widened in horror as she felt the shield was broken into pieces, and saw the steady body of Nynaeve stand some paces away. The woman's face was determined and emotionless at the same time, and Moghedien felt the fear like a stone at the bottom of her stomach. 

Hurriedly, she rolled over and got to her feet. A fireball hit the place she had vacated just seconds ago, and the Forsaken had no time to ponder the quickness of the other woman, as another fireball headed towards her, forcing her to take cover behind a large rock. Knowing it was unwise to sit in one place, she threw herself to another rock, a lightening bolt missing her by inches.

_Light that woman is quick! She has surely become greater and stronger, yet she do not have the experience I have!_

Moghedien jumped behind the next rock, and this continued until she was down on her knees, gasping for breath. There had been no time for her to start her counter-attacks, but now her attacker seemed to have calmed down, at least it had gone completely silent save her intakes of oxygen.

_This is ridiculous, Moghedien! You are greater than her, besides, you have the _angreal_… This is the time to use it!_

The Forsaken grinned evilly as she turned around to look over the rock, then her eyes widened in horror and shock. The last thing she remembered, was the blinding, searing, white light that engulfed her eyesight, before everything went black.

*******

Nynaeve watched as the balefire she had just woven embraced Moghedien in a sea of white, blinding light. It was the third time she had seen someone been ripped away from the Pattern, yet it still was different from the other times. Those times, she had not known what it was, and it was therefore very frightening, but this time… She knew the result of this, and taken into consideration who was the aim of her attack, she was actually pleased.

_That woman is nothing but a blasted spider that had woven her net of hate so tightly around her she could not escape this destiny. She do not deserve to be a part of the Pattern. She had a hand in killing Lan, I'm sure of that. Had I only known how…_

***It will do no good, Nynaeve. He is gone, you have to accept it.* **Her little voice returned. 

She stared out in the air, loosing focus of both place and time.

***But why don't you cry, Nynaeve? He is your husband! He is the love of your life! Don't you think you should shed a tear for him?***

Nynaeve didn't know what to answer. She only knew she couldn't. There was something inside her that didn't want to cooperate with her emotions. An uneasy sensation in the bottom of her stomach. Her little voice continued to speak to her, but it was merely a whisper in the chaos of thoughts that raced through her mind. Then, only one thought occupied her head.

_Rand needs my help._

*******

Rand wiped off the sweat with the back of his hand. The battle had only lasted an hour, yet it was draining his strength, especially the tension caused by the waiting for the Dark One.

**_*He's probably too afraid to show his ugly face,*_**cackled Lews Therin within Rand's head. He just sighed. The old Dragon was useful once in a while, but the rest of the time… Well, he was a real pain in the arse! Rand smiled despite of himself. The Dragon was amusing sometimes. 

Rand took a defensive stand, his Power-wrought sword resting in his hands. His life guard was excellent. Rarely enemies got through the thick lines of soldiers, channelers and Aiel. And of course, those strange animals the Seanchan rode, what was they called? He didn't really remember, but it didn't matter. He could always ask later.

_Later_, he repeated inside his mind. _Will it even be a 'later'? Will we leave the Blight in victory or retreat?_

**_*There's no answer to that, boy,*_**replied Lews Therin with sadness. **_*The Wheel waves as the Wheel wills. All you can do is to do your best and be a bloody _ta'veren_, then maybe you can affect the Pattern to good.*_**Rand thought about this, his mind elsewhere than the battlefield, yet still inside the empty void. It reminded him of a woman he knew long ago, who had taken him and the others away from Emond's Field. Moiraine. He wondered if Mat's theory about Moiraine still being alive was true. The world of the Aelfinn and the Eelfinn was just strange to him.

**_*Where is Seryan?*_**Lews Therin suddenly exclaimed. Rand's head shot up immediately. Yes, where was Nynaeve? He admitted he hadn't thought about her for a while, but now that he come to think about it, he had not noticed any more attacks from her position. And neither had he seen Lan.

**_*Maybe they have run off to a quiet place where they can have some 'quality time'?*_**chuckled Lews Therin. 

_Shut up!_ growled Rand. He didn't like this. Had something happened to Nynaeve that had passed him unnoticed? His eyes searched for the Malkieri battle lord. _The man shouldn't be _so_ difficult to find, right? That suit he was wearing stands out, and he's not particularly small. _Fright swelled inside him when he could not see his mentor.

A man passed by –an Asha'man– and Rand grabbed him by the collar, catching the man off guard.

"Have you seen the lord of the Seven Towers?" The confused look at the Asha'man's face told him he didn't understand. "Have you seen lord Mandrogoran –**al'Lan** Mandrogoran?" Again, the confused look. "For Light's sake, have you seen a man called Lan that is wearing a green and purple suit and with a stony face?!" Rand was loosing his temper, as well as his manner. 

Then it dawned for the other man, and he replied in a stutter due to Rand's tight grip of his collar. "N-no, my L-lord Dr-dragon R-reb-reborn!" Rand dropped the man to the ground, shaking his head in both fear and anger. He turned around and went closer to the protecting circle his life guard held around him. Lan was his mentor, his idol. He could not let him die. And he owed it to Nynaeve for all she had done for him.

"Lan!" He called out, his head spinning around so his eyes were everywhere. His feet moved outside the void, and he barely noticed where he headed. All he cared about was finding at least a hint to tell him where the Malkieri was.

Too preoccupied with his search, Rand didn't notice that it was gradually going silent. Then, he stopped short as he heard the drums. 

It was a slow, monotone beating. Like the footsteps of a giant. Steady, and growing louder. Rand turned around, his face stony and emotionless. He held in a gasp as he saw what was coming.

Maybe a hundred and fifty paces away, there was a large gap in the enemy army. Inside it, there stood a creature maybe seven or eight feet tall, dressed in black armour from head to toe, with streaks of red covering the harness.

_Shai'tan…_

As if on cue, the Dark One suddenly flew several paces up in the air, before turning towards Rand. Rand was ready. He had waited for this since he had accepted his destiny. He had not been ready all the time, but he was now. Nothing could stop him from this meeting of good and evil.

**_**Prepare for death, youngling! You may be powerful, but no more than me! I will crush you like I crush a bug!** _**He could hear the Dark One's voice inside his head, but it didn't affect him. 

_**I am not afraid, Shai'tan. If any of us is going to leave this world through death, it is going to be you.** _His voice was calm –a trick he had learned from Lan. It would certainly set some fear in the angered Sightburner, especially since he used the creature's real name. And it indeed did.

The armour-clad creature flew towards him with such speed, Rand had just gotten his sword up in a ready-stance when the Dark One landed heavily on the ground. Silence followed. No one, neither creature nor human, moved a muscle. Only the rustle of wind could be heard over the battlefield. Rand stood ready for any attack. Then he startled a moment as a horn blew weakly, yet was heard loudly. It restarted the battle again, and Rand took hold of _saidin_.

"You dare use my name," spoke the creature as it moved into a ready-stance. "Have you now heard what happen to those who do so?" Rand's face didn't show any emotion that raced through him. "They die!" Suddenly, the Dark One lunged at him, and he met the sword with a high and fiery 'clank'.

"Well, not this one, Shai'tan! It is you that will be crushed!" Rand had gotten what he wanted –an hot-tempered opponent– and it would be in his favour. Inside the void, he could not sense anything, and replied each fiery attack with a defensive sword. He did not dare to start counter-attack yet. He instead took a good hold of the Power, and while defending himself from the black sword of the Dark One, he waited for the right moment to use the Choendal Kal through the _angreal_ he possessed. It laid in his pocket, ready to be used. He had only used it one time before, when he had cleansed _saidin_, and he had had Nynaeve's help, who used the opposite _angreal_, the one for _saidar_.

"This will cost you dearly, Lews Therin!" yelled his opponent, swiftly lunging the sword in a complex dance with Rand's. Rand found it harder and harder to reply to his enemy's attacks, filled with much hatred and anger.

***Don't you give up now, lad!* **called Lews Therin inside Rand's head. ***Seryan will come to your rescue, you just have to hold on! Fight for the love of your women, your children, and the world you live in!* **

For a short time, this gave Rand all the strength he needed –the memory of his twin children, and Min, Elayne and Aviendha. But then he began to fall back, and he noticed how the crowd around them just floated away, like he was a boat breaking the water. 

His defence was beginning to falter, that he found out the painful way when the Dark One's sword seared through his arm, and made a deep cut. Rand cried out in agony, even though he could barely feel the pain inside the emptiness of the void. He clutched the wound for a short time, then the anger flared up inside him. A war cry escaped his throat as he raced forward in advance, twirling, spinning, slashing, cutting and dancing the dangerous dance he knew so well. And he began his Power-attacks too, weaving fireballs, fire daggers, hurricanes, all possible weaves to wound or kill. His enemy, however, merely grinned, and replied to each attack as fierily as ever, until he was slowly draining Rand for both strength and Power.

***Where _is_ Seryan?!* **Lews Therin was furious. And so was Rand, inside the emptiness. Nynaeve was supposed to help him, but where was she? He felt his power draining as well as his strength, and decided to set a final strike at his opponent to get him off his feet, and then finish him off with balefire. It had to be done, and it had to be done now, since Nynaeve was either dead or wounded, and he was loosing powers.

First he jumped forward and left, slashing at the right leg of the Dark One, then he rolled right when Shai'tan turned to him, and put the sharp sword in the left leg, causing a shrill cry from his opponent. Rand rolled backwards as the ground shook like an earthquake as the Dark One fell down. He got to his feet, and held his right hand forward, as his left clutched the _angreal_ in his pocket. 

The fight to get hold of as much Power as he could, was almost draining the last strength of Rand, but he held on tightly, like a leaf grasping its branch in a storm. His eyes were closed, and therefore he could not see the massive creature weaving his feared, black sword towards Rand.

**_**Prepare to die, Lews Therin!**_**

Rand heard the voice inside his head, and as in slow-motion, he opened his eyes, and all he could see was the black blade only a few feet away from his face. He already knew his sword would never get up in time, nor would he manage to jump away.

_I am doomed. _

With this last thought, he closed his eyes tightly. Pictures of a past long gone flashed behind his eyelids; from the happy time of his childhood with Mat, Perrin, his father, Egwene, and even Nynaeve, to his adventures after Moiraine and Lan had taken them away from Two Rivers; finding the Eye of the World, the Great Hunt, the Capture of Callandor, going into the Waste, hunting the Shaido; and other memories like Moiraine disappearing through the Doorway, meeting Elayne, Min and Aviendha, creating the Black Tower and the kidnapping of the White Tower under Elaida. But also little pictures crashed into his mind; Min and Aviendha wearing dresses, the Bonding, holding his children in his arms, or one of the women he love. It was like a film replaying his whole life, from the beginning and until present, which would be the end of it. 

Rand waited for the sword to hit him, but suddenly he sensed a whoosh nearby him, and before he knew what was happening, he was in the air, flying upwards. His eyes widened as he saw the furious way his enemy's sword clashed into the ground, then they travelled to where he was headed, and a shadow of a smile cruised his lips as he landed safely on the cliff.

"Thank you, Nynaeve," he said and looked at the ex-Wisdom. "I now owe you my life." 

"You won't have much of a damned life left if you don't decide to kill off that bloody, flaming bastard soon!" Rand raised his eyebrows at her foul language; he had never heard her talk like that before, and in some way, it scared him. But nothing scared him more than the stony look on Nynaeve's face. It was the face of someone who had experienced the death of someone close, and was intent with every inch of the body, to revenge that victim. Rand got a strange feeling in the bottom of his stomach, and was about to say something out loud, when she spoke harshly to him. "Well, are you just going to stand there, you Dragon flaming Reborn?! You –and I!– have a duty to fulfil, so let's go on with it, and send this bloody Sightburner to his destiny, which is death!"

And with that, she jumped forward in an advance stance, and Rand could feel his skin prickle as she begun the linking. Without a word, he sheathed his sword and took hold of the Power through the Choendal Kal, gasping at the strong sensations of the Source going through him. He let himself be linked, and he could see her shiver from the new strength residing inside her. Looking up, he ignored his mental note of having the sword sheathed, and grasped it with both if his hands, readying himself.

For a few moments, their enemy just stood there, staring at them. Rand almost smiled as he imagined how the sight of himself and Nynaeve would be. A red-haired man as tall as an Aiel, clothed in armour made of _cuendillar_ and holding a Power-wrought sword, and a short, dark-haired woman, clothed in the Malkieri battle suit, and with a burning fire in her eyes. Surely it would be impressing, and hopefully, **fearing**.

"As I once said, Shai'tan," Rand called to the Dark One, causing a complete silence in the armies around them at the sound of his real name. He gave his opponent a stare worthy of a wise, strong man –a Lord Dragon Reborn. "If any of us is going to leave this world through death...it is going to be **you**." And Nynaeve took the cue to start weaving Fire Daggers, Lightening Bolts, and any weave that could wound badly, while Rand jumped down from the cliff, and started his dangerous sword dance again, this time advancing so much due to the Dark One being distracted by Nynaeve's attacks.

Rand smiled a true smile as he swept forward and to the sides, slashing, turning, lunging, stabbing, all the while meeting the counter-attacks. When he looked up a second, he was startled to see normal eyes behind that helmet, not fiery fires like he had imagined. It didn't change his mind about ridding this creature away from this world, however, and he jumped sideways as he stroke low and hit Shai'tan in his legs. The half-cut-off-legs made the enemy fall down on the ground, just as lightening bolts hit the armour so it blasted to a hundred pieces. 

It was sickening to see the skin underneath the harness and ring mail, bloody and black like burnt flesh. But Rand didn't waver. He held his ground firmly, grasping tightly around the shaft. The enemy just laid there on the ground, yet life was still within its body, and Rand was waiting.

Suddenly, the Dark One rose up with a loud war cry, and Rand found himself, again, at the brink between death and life, as Shai'tan took a tight hold around his neck and lifted him several feet off the ground. And this time he was not sure he was as lucky as last time.

"Let him go!" called a woman's voice. Rand would have yelled for Nynaeve to get away, but he couldn't utter a word, and he was slowly loosing breath as his neck was being crushed. He watched as the Dark One turned his face towards the woman, but his eyesight was slowly going black, and he closed his eyes.

"And why should I, foolish, worthless woman?" The voice was crisp, and cutting. Rand couldn't breath any more, and he could do nothing with the Power, for it was Nynaeve who was leading the weaves. 

_Leading! Yes! My dear Nynaeve, use the Power, destroy this bastard! He may be more powerful than me, but not me and you together!_ Yet even these encouraging words didn't calm him down, and he floated in blackness. Then he suddenly fell through the air, hitting the ground hard. He could hear yelling and loud screams, but they were muffled, like they were far, far away. He tried to open his eyes, only to be met by searing, white light, and he fell into the blackness again.

****

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**_Author's Note: _**_Ah! Finite! (for now...*grin*) This was the last chapter, guys, but don't worry! There will be both an epilogue and a sequel! Personally, I think at least some parts of this chapter sucked, but what did ya others think? Please REVIEW, and especially those who have read the whole thing, yet not REVIEWED! I really need REVIEWS, or else there will be no sequel, and you won't know what happens next! So I say again: please, PLEASE REVIEW! I beg you... ^_^_


	10. Epilogue: The Leave Taking

_**Disclaimers: ** Okey, for the last time… I DO NOT OWE THE WHEEL OF TIME, ONLY THE PLOT!!! _

_**Author's Note**: HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!! I hope you all enjoyed the celebration as much as I did! The best wishes for the New Year from me to all of you! _

_I have a few answers for some of my reviewers, but choosing to get to the story right away, I've listed them up below. And now, the latest from me –READ AND ENJOY! ^_^ _

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** Epilogue –The Leave Taking**

The tent was dark, so incredibly dark, yet the person sitting on the bed did not lit the candles. Outside, the sound of cheering men and women and the whines of horses and mystic creatures was reaching its peak. The person on the bed closed her eyes, and relived the scene taken place right after the Battle had ended, and the enemy had been scattered for all winds. 

***~*~*Flashback*~*~* **

_The ground was filled with blood, dark red from humans and black from Trollocs and Myrddraals. It mingled together to a sickening red colour, reminding her of the Battle of the White Tower. Some Black Sister trying to save her own bottom had killed Elaida that time, probably, and Egwene had been made the new Amyrlin. The young Two Rivers girl had grown up, she could say with pride, and had handled the new position well. She was going to get into the history books someday. _

_She jumped over the pools of blood, carefully landing on her good foot; the other was sprained due to a heavy stone falling on it as a result of the explosion. She balanced at her good foot, and took a deep breath before she jumped over the next pool. The pain was no greater than the one inside her heart, which both she ignored –she still had a duty to do, but this one was different from the other one. _

_Passing a large black and burnt crate in the ground at the size of a well, she spotted the one she was looking for, and moved on, ignoring the stench reaching her nose. _

_"Rand?" she asked softly as she carefully sat down beside the tall redhead. His armour was bloody, and she feared it was his own. With care, she reached down and took hold of the man's head with both of her hands, and accepted the new life filling her whole being. Weaving Healing was not hard –it was her special ability– yet she struggled to Heal the two old wounds Rand had received in the past. Even with the Dark One finally gone, the wounds did not want to be Healed. _

**_Maybe it is just too soon_**_, she thought confidently, and looked down, only to meet a pair of distant, totally white eyes. **Light, where are his pupils? **She examined his face closer in hope to find some sign that he was not blind, but when she saw him turn his head in confusion, eyes wide open, she knew he could not see. _

_"Nynaeve?" His voice was weak, and rasp. Like sand rubbing against a paper. He was looking everywhere, turning his head frantically, since all he could was to feel her hands, and not see her. The woman laid her hands upon his eyes, while speaking softly to calm him down. _

_"Yes Rand, it's me. Now, do not panic. I know you cannot see, but I will Heal you, if only you calm down." He didn't calm down when he heard her confirmation that he had lost his sight, so she quickly wove a weave she had made herself, for the purpose of calming a person in shock. His breathing slowed down immediately. She took the opportunity to weave the complex weave of Healing Blindness, and when done, she waited for the result. A smile cruised her lips when she saw his pupils appear a little at a time. _

_"Are you done?" asked Rand. There was confusion in his voice, and it worried her. _

_"Yes, I am. How many fingers can you see?" She held up two fingers. Fright filled her as she saw his eyes could not focus; they just stared out in the empty air, straightforward. Letting out a sigh, she bowed her head in frustration and worry. _

_"I'm blind still, am I not?" His voice was low, and she sensed fear in it. Sighing again, she squeezed his hand. _

_"I am sorry, Rand. Maybe the Dark One's taint has not disappeared yet, and you will see with time. Or maybe his taint will be here until all evil have been ridden from this world, and then… Well, we must just give it time, now that we have plenty of it. He is gone, Rand, for good this time." She smiled, and squeezed both of his hands. A hint of a smile caressed his face, but it remained emotionless. _

_"Let us hope so, Nynaeve, for the world's sake, and those that we love." She was lost in thought at his last sentence. _Those that we love…

_"Nynaeve?" She broke out of her thoughts, and was surprised that she still had not shed a tear after the bond had snapped. It was like she hadn't lost hope completely, even though she knew it was impossible to think something else had happened than Lan had been killed. _

_"Yes?" _

_"Do you know where Lan is? Can you sense him?" A lump formed in her throat, but she couldn't get herself to cry. She took a deep breath before she answered. _

_"He is gone, Rand. He won't come back." _

_Silence followed. _

****

***~*~*End Flashback*~*~***

Nynaeve clutched the pillow in her lap. It had been Lan's the nights they had slept here; it smelt mystic and masculine, just like him. Her eyes had gotten used to the darkness, and so had her ears to the music and voices outside. 

**_*It is time to leave, Nynaeve. You must stick to your oath, * _**her little voice reminded her. 

_The oath, yes..._

***~*~*Flashback*~*~***

_Min, along with Aviendha and Elayne, was coming towards them, each face sweaty, yet calm. But then their faces paled in horror at the sight of the bloody armour of Rand, and they jumped off their mounts and ran to sit beside him. Nynaeve rose to give room, gritting teeth at the pain from her sprained ankle, but smiling weakly at the three women. Earlier, she had despised Rand from loving three women at the same time, but she had come to accept it, and actually thought it some kind of sweet. He was Aiel after all. _

_At once, the women started talking, and Nynaeve had to hold up a hand to calm them down. _

_"He is fine, with the exception of the two old wounds which won't Heal, and the fact that he cannot see any longer. I've tried to Heal it, but I think his eyes is affected by the Dark One's taint. He needs rest, and so do you, and I. Now, if you can excuse me, I have to leave." With those last words, she turned and wove a Gateway to the camps, disappearing from sight. _

_The weave drained the last of her strength, and she stumbled into the tent, falling asleep the moment she landed on the bed. _

_Later, when she woke up, she found that nothing had been touched, but a trash of food and drink had been placed at the bottom of the bed. Outside, the feast must have begun; she could already hear drunken soldiers sing their terrible songs about women, war and ale. _

_She rose from the bed, surprised that she could not feel any pain –someone must've Healed her while she slept. Her battle suit had not been removed, and she groaned a little at the heavy _cuendillar_ ring mail. It would be great to have it removed. _

_Sighing, Nynaeve began to undo the knots on her tunic, her thoughts blank. Slipping it over her head and dropping it on the ground, she suddenly felt something heavy land on her chest. She looked down, and a reminder of what had happened the past day, rushed through her mind. It was Lan's golden signet ring. And it made the empty feeling inside her until it filled her entire body. But she shed no tears. _

_Not knowing exactly what drove her, she took up the ring and laid it in both of her hands. Then she closed her eyes, and spoke. _

_"I swear at this ring, this last reminder of my husband al'Lan Mandrogoran, Lord of the Seven Towers, Uncrowned King of Malkier, that I, el'Nynaeve Mandrogoran, will live on and give birth to our children. I will make sure they get what is rightfully theirs, and do everything in my power to raise old Malkier again. And if I by life or death can protect them, I will, like a mother would do for her children. Let the Creator and the Light be witnesses to this oath, and help me fulfil it. Arellan jathoner ty chareom kloth anan." _

_The last words did not come from her, yet she knew what they meant. 'Light forsake me if I break this oath'. _

***~*~*End Flashback*~*~***

Shaking her head, Nynaeve stood up from the bed, dropping the pillow behind her back. She then went over to the chair beside the washstand, where the saddlebags were already packed and laid neatly in a pile. Throwing the travel cloak around her shoulders, she picked up the saddlebags, along with a purse filled with money. It was enough to make bandits throw themselves at her, but she didn't fear them. Not after all she had gone through. She took a last glance around the tent to see if she had missed something, sadness filling her, and finding that all was taken, she stepped through the tent flap, and walked out in the moonlight. 

The sight that met her left her silent. 

"Thought you could leave without saying goodbye, did you?" 

******* 

Egwene stared at the other woman, dropping the Amyrlin façade and acting like a real Two Rivers woman, her hands placed at her hips. That woman had slept for almost an entire day, and none had disturbed her –Egwene had made sure of that. 

She had left the Dragon Reborn's tent this evening in haste, after a conversation with Rand. When news of his injuries had reached her the day before, she had been quite intent on visiting him, but due to the reports that had to be made of wounded and dead, she hadn't be able to do so before today. He had told her of Lan's death, and what Nynaeve had done and was planning to do. They had had much to talk about the hours they laid alone on the battlefield. 

With a lump in her throat, she had excused herself, and rushed towards the Two Rivers woman's tent in hope that she would not be late. On the way, she had run into a servant that was bringing Nynaeve's horse to her, and she had taken over the duty herself. For once, she would be Egwene, an Emond's Fielder, and not Egwene, the Amyrlin Seat of the Grey Towers. She would show the older woman the respect that had resided inside her since she had been taught the Wisdom duties. 

"I wonder myself why I trusted Rand not to tell anyone," said Nynaeve with a sad smile. She ran her hands over her yellow riding dress, smoothing out the curls on her skirt. Her face was totally emotionless, and Egwene had first suspected it was because she was taking on Aes Sedai ways, but now she understood that she was seeing a person who had taken the death of a beloved close to heart. 

"And I wonder why you intended to leave without telling me?" she replied, and her face softened. Nynaeve just looked down in the ground for a moment, her long braid falling in front of her shoulders, then she lifted her eyes to meet Egwene's. 

"To be honest, I don't know." Egwene gave the older woman a confused look. "Maybe I didn't want any tear-filled goodbyes with a woman I consider a very good friend, and whom I respect." Nynaeve gave her a smile. "But maybe I didn't want to be reminded of…of…." She left her sentence open, and Egwene knew whom she was talking about. 

"You know you cannot run away from the memories, Nynaeve. And you can't run away from him." She took several steps forward towards the other woman. "Not when his children lies within your womb." She laid her hand at Nynaeve's shoulder, and the other woman looked at her, emotion filling her eyes even though her face was still stony. Then she felt she couldn't bear it any longer, and she threw her arms around her mentor in a tight embrace, water in her eyes. She sniffed. 

"Will you come and visit the Grey Tower sometime?" she asked, her voice thick with emotion. She could feel the other woman tremble in crying, but somehow, she knew that Nynaeve wasn't crying. Nynaeve sniffed loudly, and took a step back, locking her watery eyes with Egwene's. 

"Nothing can stop me," she answered with a smile, her face not so stony any longer. "Except a child birth, maybe." They laughed at this, and embraced once more, but then Nynaeve withdrew her arms and Egwene understood that it was time for the goodbye. 

"I will look forward for your coming then!" she chuckled, as Nynaeve took hold of the reins and mounted. Egwene picked up the saddlebags the older woman had dropped to the ground and threw them over the saddle. Nynaeve sat there for a moment, staring down at her with warm eyes. 

"Well," the dark-haired woman said finally. "I must get going." With that, she began to ride among the dark tents with Egwene at her trail. It was obvious that she was avoiding attention from the parties around the campfires, celebrating the victory. The last hunting parties had come back earlier this day, after a whole night on the trail of retreating enemies. 

"Where will you go?" Egwene called after her. Nynaeve stopped in her tracks, and looked back. 

"Where the wind blows, perhaps," she replied with a mysterious smile, and then she disappeared in the darkness of a large tent. Egwene smiled, and hoping that someday she would meet her friend and mentor again, she turned around and walked back to her tent. 

******* 

Out of the camp, Nynaeve stopped and took hold of the Power. Moving silently, she wove a Gateway, and once it was big enough, she rode through, appearing right outside the walls of a city she had only visited thrice. The first time had been when they were searching for the Eye of the World, the second had been when they returned from the Blight, and the third was when the Armies of Light were moving into the Blight. 

Looking up at the moon shining far up there on the sky among the scattered stars, Nynaeve sighed, while letting go of _saidar_. 

"So now it begins. My new life." She clutched the ring around her neck. "I love you, Lan, and always will. No other man will I take to husband, even if it means that I'll be lonely for the rest of my life. Well, I'll not be _that_ lonely for the next twenty years or so. Our children will keep me company." She smiled. Then she dropped the ring, and it hit her chest lightly. 

"Where the wind blows, there will I go." And with that, she rode away in the cover of darkness. 

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**THE END (for now) **

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_**Author's Note:** Finished… Well, not exactly! I still have a sequel to complete! ^_^ _

_**''''''''''''''ANSWERS TO REVIEWS'''''''''''''' **_

**~Elluxion~** _Thanks for noticing that grammar mistake! I've changed it now, and reposted the chapter. I'm glad you still like my story, and I hope you continue to do so! *Smile* _

**~Twilight Dragoon Fighter~** _*blushes* Thank you very much… :) _

**~Squilio Sedai~ **_To be honest, I never thought of the prophecies when I wrote this story, so therefore I don't bother to change it. Maybe I should consider this fic AU then? :) _

**~Ilona1~** _Ah, my faithful reader! It's been a while since I heard from you, but I'm glad that you're still with me! *Grin* When I wrote that Nynaeve/messenger scene, I never once thought of LotR, but I see now the resemblance, and understand that you wondered! :) And yes, I'm overjoyed that I actually have over 80 reviews! I have a little hope to get over a hundred with time, but we'll see if those who haven't reviewed yet finally choose to do so! *Smile* _

_**'''''''''''''END OF ANSWERS'''''''''''''''** _

_And before I end this chapter, I would like to say thank you very much to all of you who has followed me through this story and to my beta **starlight**, and I hope you will still follow me through the sequel. _

_As a little New Year's surprise for you, I ask you to check out my author page, where info about my next story is written down! And to those who despise me for killing Lan, I hope you too will read the sequel. _

_Oh, and a few last words…………REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIEW!!! THOSE WHO HAVEN'T YET, PLEASE DO!!! _

_**Happy New Year Everyone! ^_^ **_


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